Tipperary eatery ordered to close over food safety breaches

Irish Independent

2 days ago

Shake Dog restaurant-café, located at Unit 23, Showgrounds Shopping Centre, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, was ordered to close on May 14, and the order was lifted on May 19.
The order was served under the EU's Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation regulations, 2020, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) reported on Tuesday this week.
The closure order was served on Clonmel Diner Ltd by the Health Service Executive (HSE), and directed that all of the activities of the business, its establishments, holdings or other premises, be ceased.
The HSE officer noted that the hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) based procedures which had been put in place were not effectively implemented in practice.
'To control the growth of food poisoning bacteria in cold food, the HACCP based procedures in place state: safe storage of food is to be chilled and stored between 0C to 5C.
'Some high risk chilled foods were being held at potentially unsafe temperatures (above the critical limit of <5C for cold display established in the Shake Dog HACCP plan), in the server area.'
The HSE officer reported that evidence of non-compliance with legislation included 'garlic mayonnaise and salsa in middle of counter top unit opposite to grill: 13.6C.
'Cooked bacon at back of counter top unit adjacent to grill: 9.2C. Raw chicken breasts in milk at back of counter top unit adjacent to grill: 12.6C. Raw sausage at back of counter top unit adjacent to grill: 10C.
'These potentially unsafe holding temperatures had not been identified as part of part of your temperature monitoring procedures.
'Temperature monitoring records must accurately reflect actual food temperatures and corrective action (s) must be taken and recorded whenever temperature monitoring indicates that a critical control point (such as storage) is not under control.'
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Business operators are to maintain and provide evidence of an appropriate food safety culture by fulfilling certain requirements, such as the safe production and distribution of food, noted the inspector.
'There has been repeated non-compliance with regulatory requirements,' stated the HSE officer. 'An unsatisfactory level of compliance with food safety legislation was observed during previous inspection.'
The legislation stipulates that all articles, fittings and equipment with which food comes into contact with are to be effectively cleaned and where necessary, disinfected.
Evidence of non-compliance included that food contact equipment had evidence of food residue present.
Additionally, the wash basin behind the counter in the milkshake drinks area was covered with plastic film as the hand basin was blocked. 'Stagnant water pooling within the wash basin,' was observed.
'There was no material for cleaning and or drying hands at the wash hand basin in the rear preparation area.'
'There was a small amount of liquid soap available which appeared to be watered down at the hand basin in the main food preparation area,' concluded the inspection report.