TWO Limerick takeaways were served with closure orders by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in the month of November.
Achari Indian Restaurant in Castletroy and Oscar’s Pizza and Kebab on John Street in Limerick City were both served with the closure orders following an inspection for breaches of food safety laws.
The orders, which have since been lifted at both restaurants, were issued by Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) to protect consumer health.
Achari was issued the closure order due to failure of the owner to register their intent to establish a food business with the HSE West, which is required by law.
The inspector also found no evidence of a food safety system being carried out in the restaurant.
Cleanliness was also an issue, with the Environmental Health Officer finding that “all parts of the premises were not kept clean and maintained in good repair and condition”, according to the inspector’s report.
The report said that “a poor standard of cleaning was observed throughout the kitchen”, citing “the accumulation of food debris on exposed pipework, the stained ceiling throughout, food stained equipment stored beside the wash hand basin, the grease stained filters on the extract canopy, the unclean condition of the grill unit used for cooking, the mould on the fan serving the cold room” all as reasons for the closure order.
There was also no hot water, soap, or paper towels to dry hands with at the dedicated wash hand basin, as well as no hot water at the sink that was used for cleaning the premises.
The chef on site was wearing stained clothing and had no hair covering on, and told the inspector that he had not received any food safety training.
For Oscar’s Pizza and Kebab, John Street, the health inspector issued a closure order on the grounds that foodstuffs were being stored in a rear yard, which had not been pest-proofed, posing a risk of contamination by rodents.
The premises was also found to be unclean, with the inspector’s report stating that “the premises was not being maintained in a clean condition”.
“The walls and wash hand basin in the staff toilet were not in a hygienic condition. All foods were not being stored on shelving in the walk in cold storage facilities to facilitate cleaning. Floor tiles in the food preparation area were damaged,” the report said.
There was also no documented food safety management system in place, and perishable foodstuffs were being stored in the pizza topping chill display unit. Chicken stored in this unit was probed and showed as being 13.6 degrees celsius, according to the report.
The two closure orders in Limerick are among 10 served nationally, with one of the orders outside the county finding evidence that someone had been “living and sleeping in the food preparation area”.
A report on the Pizza Max takeaway in County Meath said that an inspector “observed mattresses, bedding materials, personal hygiene items, e.g. toothbrushes, tubes of toothpaste, bottles of shampoo and shower gel, hair products, and hair brushes in this area. We also noted medications, clothing and personal food items.”
