'Live rodent' found in Cavan meat plant

FSAI close down processor.

An unregistered Cavan meat manufacturing plant was ordered to shut its doors after food safety inspectors found widespread rodent activity, poor hygiene and a live rodent running across the floor of a factory’s cold room.

Bartkus Uncle Meat Limited, at Corragarry, Canningstown, was served with a closure order by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) last month, August 20.

The closure order states that the local premises posed, or was likely to pose, a grave and immediate danger to public health if allowed to continue operating.

Inspectors found “widespread evidence of rodent droppings” throughout the meat processing premises.

Along with a “live rodent” observed running across the floor of the cold room, there were also “gaps at floor and door joints”, which were not pest-proof, as well as a “gap in a wall beside” the smoker, which could allow pests to enter.

The inspection found “no evidence of a pest control plan” in place, or of such procedures being in place at all.

CONCERNS

Serious concerns were also raised about the general condition and cleanliness of the Bartkus Uncle Meat premises.

The FSAI recorded a “build up of dirt”, grime and grease on walls, floors, ceilings and food-contact surfaces. Vents were covered in “grease”, while “cobwebs, insects and dead flies” were found throughout.

Food production equipment was also “non maintained in a sound condition”.

Inspectors noted “mould” growing on the smoker, while equipment was stained with “dirt, dried blood, grease, rust”. Several knives were found “lying on dirty cloths” and were themselves “rusted”.

The floors were described as being in an unsound condition.

“There were numerous cracks in the floor surfaces allowing for an accumulation of dirt. There was an open drain in the production room,” stated the report.

The closure order also highlighted a lack of basic hand-washing facilities, with no hot water available at the hand-washing sinks and no facilities for hygienic hand drying.

Management system

Food safety inspectors found the business did not have a food safety management system based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles. There was also no evidence that food workers had been adequately supervised, instructed or trained in food hygiene, with no training records available.

Furthermore there were no systems in place regarding food “traceability”, with some food “not labelled” in a way that would allow it to be traced.

The order further states that the food business operator had “not been registered or approved by a competent authority”.

“In the absence of registration, the competent authority has not had an opportunity to carry out official controls. Food placed on the market without the benefit of official controls to verify compliance with food law may be unsafe and give rise to a risk to public health.”

CLOSURE ORDER

The trading company Bartkus Uncle Meat Limited was established in July 2023 as being involved in the ‘Wholesale of Meat and Meat Products’.

The FSAI closure order required the entire premises to remain closed until either a court makes an order or the FSAI issues a further written direction.

The business operator had a right to appeal a closure order to the District Court within seven days of it being served, but this did not happen, hence the follow up publication.

The Celt understands that all meat and food products found on site at the time of the FSAI inspection were subsequently destroyed.

Bartkus Uncle Meat was one of three food businesses served with closure orders by the FSAI during August. The other premises were in Dublin.

Four prohibition orders were also served on food businesses during the same month, with the FSAI saying that the enforcement actions followed a range of serious breaches, including evidence of live and dead cockroaches, rodent activity and rodent droppings.

In one case, inspectors found evidence of rodent gnaw marks on food packaging.

FSAI warning

FSAI Chief Executive Greg Dempsey described the latest findings as concerning.

“Consumers have a right to safe food,” he said, adding that food businesses must have effective measures to prevent pests gaining access to premises and must maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene.

Mr Dempsey noted that the latest cases demonstrate the importance of effective food safety management systems, properly trained staff and appropriate hygiene facilities.

“Food safety controls must work in practice, every day, to protect consumers,” he said. “Where businesses fail to meet their legal responsibilities and food safety is compromised, enforcement action is necessary to protect public health when it comes to food safety.”

Both the FSAI and the Department of Agriculture have been contacted for comment.

The FSAI informed the Celt that it would not be making any further statement at this time.