Urine, raw chicken and congealed grease: Limerick takeaway shut down by food safety inspector

Irish Independent

14-05-2025

The closure comes after inspectors cited major concerns about cleanliness and food safety.
Upon inspection of Tasty at The Square, Dromcollogher, the inspector found food-related operations were being conducted in an outdoor alleyway exposed to foul sewer water.
According to the FSAI report, inside the kitchen, inspectors found heavily stained floors, mouldy walls, grease-covered surfaces, and an accumulation of food debris.
One of the fridges was 'cracked and damaged.' The internal seal was 'shrivelled and caked with food debris; there was grated cheese, burgers and burger sauce stored in this fridge.'
A knife container was found with 'decaying brown liquid and food debris inside.'
A toilet cubicle under the stairs opens 'directly to the kitchen. There was a strong smell of urine.' The light switch for the toilet was also 'stained and unclean.'
The report further revealed that the business failed to follow basic food safety procedures.
There was no visible use of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points). This is a legal requirement for all food businesses.
'Raw chicken is defrosted, marinated with potato starch, cooked, cooled and reheated,' the report continued.
The inspector noted: 'I asked what the sieves with food debris were used for. The [business operator] indicated the cleaning of the drain, to demonstrate he put on rubber gloves; lifted the man hole and scooped out congealed white fat oil and grease from the waste water drain and emptied this into a bucket.'
"The [operator] then went to enter the kitchen. I asked him to stop pointing out his contaminated rubber gloves, however he said that he used the gloves for the grease trap in the centre of the kitchen.
'He then entered the food kitchen without changing the soiled gloves or washing his hands.'
The inspector wrote: 'the main kitchen presents a serious risk of contamination to the interior of the food premises.'
The closure will remain in place until the business shows full compliance with food safety laws.