Dead maggots, insects, wire and a razor blade were just some of the entities discovered in food items in 2014, while the number of food-related complaints increased around the State.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has reported the number of calls it handled in 2014 rose by 8 per cent, with an increase of 2,738 complaints by consumers about food quality and food premises.
Criticisms included allegations of food contaminated with dead maggots, glass, a razor blade in minced meat; a cigarette in a fruit brack; a fly in a jar of marmalade; an insect in an apple tart; the tip of a knife in spare ribs; wire in takeaway food and a metal bolt in a tin of grapefruit.
The authority said the increase in complaints reflects the growing awareness among consumers of the need to report poor hygiene practices. Food businesses and start-ups are also more conscious of labelling requirements, it says.
Edel Smyth, information manager with the FSAI, said consumers are increasingly likely to investigate food items’ nutrient content to make sure it’s accurate, as food related queries continue to rise every year.
“Consumers have become more vigilant in recent years and are now much more likely to report poor hygiene or food safety standards that they encounter,” Ms Smyth said. “People are looking at ingredients and use-by-dates more often than before and are becoming more food conscious.”
“They are more aware of what they’re feeding themselves and feeding their kids.”
In 2014 there were 1,199 complaints of unfit food, 529 complaints of suspected food poisoning, 566 complaints of hygiene standards and 175 complaints regarding incorrect information on food labelling, according to the FSAI.
The number of calls seeking advice on food labelling rose by 100 per cent to 11,604, an increase which coincided with the introduction of new laws requiring food businesses to provide written information of any allergenic ingredients found in their foods.
“Poor standards are often the result of inadequate staff training and a failure to follow best practices to safeguard customers’ health,” Ms Smyth said. “This is inexcusable given the substantial information and resources available to assist food businesses.
“We urge food businesses to take full advantage of the information and support provided to ensure they reach their food safety legal requirements.”
Records released under the Freedom of Information Act from the FSAI last December showed that dead rats, bags of cows’ skins and mould-covered mayonnaise were just some of the reasons for the temporary closure of restaurants and other food outlets in 2014.
The records showed environmental health officers ordered the temporary closures of premises in Phibsborough, Drumcondra and Blackrock in Dublin because of rat and mouse droppings, a wellington boot filled with cigarette ash, and live and dead cockroaches throughout the premises.
