Updated: 2.30pm 9/12/2019
A closure order was enforced on a Letterkenny takeaway last month over breaches of food safety regulations.
East Ocean at 61 Port Road Letterkenny was served with a temporary closure order by the Health Service Executive on 5th November. The order was lifted on the 12th of November.
The takeaway was found to be in breach of the FSAI Act 1998.
Closure orders are served on businesses if authorised officers find that there is or there is likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health at/or in the food premises.
An inspection at East Ocean last month found a number of food safety breaches.
Failure to protect food from contamination
Food was stored uncovered in dirty fridges and freezers and food was stored in dirty containers throughout the premises. Some peppers were being prepared on the draining board of a sink that was also being used to wash dirty containers. Prawns were being drained into a dirty colander. A container of raw eggs was placed in noodles at one point during the inspection.
The inspector noted that there was a failure to provide hot water for cleaning and disinfecting, which is a risk of food contamination, and there was no washhand basin available for staff. As a result, thy reported that no hand washing was seen taking place.
There was a ‘lack of confidence’ that the food business could provide safe food as there was no evidence of a management system for food safety and the “person in charge had poor knowledge of food safety risks and of the measures necessary to ensure the safety of food…”
Closures Orders can refer to the immediate closure of all or part of the food premises, or all or some of its activities.
The Orders are lifted when the premises has improved to the satisfaction of the authorised officer.
A total of 20 Irish businesses were served with closure orders for breaches of food safety legislation in November.
