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Butcher shop ordered to recall meat over public health concerns

Six enforcement orders were served on food businesses during the month of March, according to yhe Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). 

These enforcement orders were issued by environmental health officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE).

A butcher shop on the Fonthill Rd., Dublin 22, was issued with a prohibition order under the FSAI Act, 1998.

Gill Venture Limited, trading as Halal Food and Grocery, was ordered to recall all vacuum-packed minced lamb and minced beef.

Prohibition order

It was discovered that activities involved in processing the meat were a serious risk to public health. The prohibition order reads as follows:

“Vacuum-packed ovine leg and bovine knuckle were being opened, minced and re vacuum-packed on site. This minced lamb and minced beef were then labelled with the same ”use by” date as the original cuts of vacuum-packed meat, giving the minced meat up to 26 days shelf life.”

“The mincing process disrupts the meat cellular structure, increasing the surface area of the meat product and making the minced meat a nutritious medium supporting pathogenic bacterial growth.”

“There was no food safety management system in place based on HACCP principles within the establishment. There were no identified hazards or control methods in place for the activity of mincing on site.”

“No evidence was provided to support validation of such an extensive shelf-life of up to 26 days for this minced lamb and minced beef.”

‘No excuses’

Commenting on the enforcement orders, Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, highlighted the importance of complying with food safety standards. She said: “In March, there continued to be a number of food businesses who failed to ensure proper food safety management systems were in place.”

“Filthy premises, unhygienic practices and poor pest control are all totally unacceptable. There are also no excuses for food businesses failing to provide accurate written allergen information for their customers.”

“This is a time when our health services are under unprecedented pressure due to Covid-19 and it is vital that they are not put under any additional undue pressure resulting from unsafe food practices,” she concluded.

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