Cockroaches, mice and rodent droppings found in food businesses as 21 closure orders served in April

The Food Safety Authority (FSAI) reported 15 of those orders were served on businesses based in Dublin.

Inspectors identified rodent droppings in multiple businesses across the country, including one in which a “recently trapped live mouse” was identified in a kitchen.

Some of the reasons for the enforcement orders served on businesses last month include; premises not being kept in a sufficiently hygienic condition; evidence of altering the ‘use by’ dates and batch numbers on food; providing false labels on food; and walls of an establishment in a poor state of structural repair with extensive dampness, mould growth and flaking.

Others included food handlers not being supervised, instructed or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activity or a failure to establish, maintain and provide evidence of a food safety culture.

FSAI Chief Executive, Dr Pamela Byrne, said it seems food safety “fell off the list of priorities” for a number of food businesses, but there were “no excuses” for breaches.

“Twenty one Closure Orders served in one month is the highest number since November 2019, when the same number were also issued. Amongst the reasons for the Closure Orders in April, a lack of adequate procedures to control pests was frequently cited,” she said.

"This resulted in evidence of widespread mice and cockroach activity, which leads to a serious risk of food being contaminated and poses a grave and immediate danger to public health. Food businesses must ensure that their food business is properly pest proofed, and that they take effective action if there is a pest infestation.

"Each month, we issue the list of Enforcement Orders as a deterrent, but it seems that last month, food safety fell off the list of priorities for quite a number of food businesses. Consumers have a right to safe food and food safety must always be a top priority for food businesses.

“There are no excuses. Food safety is a legal requirement for all food businesses,” Dr Byrne said.