The FSAI has said the number of businesses shut under food safety orders in 2022 is ‘disappointing’ after 77 closures.
The number of enforcement orders served on food businesses last year marked a notable increase compared to figures in 2021.
Today, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland revealed that there was a 31% increase compared to the 59 businesses handed orders in 2021.
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From January 1 to December 31, 2022, there were 65 Closure Orders given out and 12 Prohibition Orders by Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE), sea-fisheries protection officers in the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), and officers of the FSAI.
Revealing some of the reasons for the orders, a spokesperson listed the storing of uncovered animal waste in an open bin outside a premises within easy access to vermin and pests; as well as the presence of rodent droppings on packets of foods on sale to the public and in an area where food was being re-packed for sale.
Speaking about the latest figures, Chief Executive of the FSAI, Dr. Pamela Byrne, said she was hopeful that they would see a reduction year-on-year and called the food law breaches "disappointing".
She said: "Through the hard work of our partner agencies and food inspectors in 2022, food businesses that disregarded the law and put consumer health at risk were stopped. However, this should not be happening.
“Enforcement Orders are served on food businesses only when a risk to consumer health has been identified or where there are a number of ongoing breaches of food legislation.
"Food businesses should not be falling short on their legal requirements. They should adhere to food safety regulations at all times.
“It is disappointing that month after month, food inspectors find similar, basic and fundamental breaches of food law”.
Going into more detail about what led to the health and safety punishments, the FSAI said an establishment stored meat considered unfit for human consumption due to putrefaction, foreign body contamination, and poor storage conditions.
Meanwhile, an unregistered meat food business was operating with no food safety procedures or records to fulfill meat traceability requirements and a freezer room had been switched off, leading to an interruption to the cold chain with frozen meat haphazardly stored alongside frozen animal by-product waste.
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