Two closure orders served on food businesses in January
Business selling a highly toxic industrial chemical using a website address that implied it may be used for weight loss was issued a closure order
Print9 February 2021
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has reported that two closure orders were served on food businesses during the month of January for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020. The closure orders were issued by officers of the FSAI.
One closure order was served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
- www.FatBurney.com (Retailer), 41 Ard Caoin, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
One closure order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
- The outbuilding occupied by Christian Krummel (Butcher: Mixed products), No. 11 Woodlands, Greystones, Co. Wicklow
Some of the reasons for the closure orders in January include: a website was selling and marketing a highly toxic industrial chemical, 2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP) using a website address that implied the substance may be used for weight loss; and an unregistered meat food business was operating with no food safety management system or associated monitoring records available for inspection; meat preparations and meat products being produced from wild game meat where the carcasses had not undergone post-mortem inspection, meaning that the meat used was not demonstrably fit for human consumption and there was inadequate procedures in place to control pests as evidenced by the presence of mouse droppings.
Dr Pamela Byrne, chief executive, FSAI, expressed particular concern that this month’s enforcement orders included a closure order in relation to the marketing and selling of DNP, a highly toxic industrial chemical which has serious and unpredictable side effects.
“There are serious health risks from taking slimming products purchased online which are not linked to a registered food business and we are urging consumers to remain very cautious and to only buy from established food businesses. Following an investigation, a closure order was served on a food business marketing and selling 2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP) which is a highly toxic industrial chemical which has been abused as a ‘fat burner’ to achieve rapid weight loss. It is illegal for DNP to be sold for use as a weight loss product and it is not allowed in food. Its use has serious and unpredictable side effects, including death. There has been one recorded death in Ireland in 2015 and the UK National Poisons Information Service has recorded 32 deaths in the UK from 2007 to date.”
“The operation of any illegal food business will not be tolerated, and the full power of the law will be brought to bear to stop these food businesses from putting consumers’ health at serious risk. The other closure order served in January concerned the selling of meat products produced from wild game meat where the carcasses had not undergone the required post-mortem inspection in order for the products to be deemed safe for human consumption. If anyone is in any doubt about the legitimacy of a food business, please contact us via our online complaint form www.fsai.ie/makeitbetter and we will follow up on it,” added Dr Byrne.
Details of the food businesses served with enforcement orders are published on the FSAI’s website at www.fsai.ie. Closure orders and improvement orders will remain listed on the website for a period of three months from the date of when a premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue, with prohibition orders being listed for a period of one month.
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