Remote Working during Covid-19

How are you getting on at home?   Since March most Irish workers are working from home and employers are managing their team remotely. Indications are that this working model will remain. People are saving time and travel costs but stress levels may not be lowered.   It is now time to ask, “how are […]

Advice for food business operators – COVID-19

Advice for Food Business Operators Today we find ourselves in an unprecedented situation, one which most of us had no contingency plans to cover. We try to prepare for every possibility, every unexpected event or adverse weather condition, however, no one could have prepared us for this. Maybe it is our own fault, for reacting […]

Food Fraud – a challenge for the the food and drinks industry

In recent years food fraud has become much more of an issue for consumers as global food supply has become so complex that it is almost impossible for food producers and retailers to guarantee the provenance of their products. This has spurred initiatives to address these growing concerns. The effects of a food fraud can […]

Is your food business compliant with food safety regulations?   In November, The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) served 13 Closure Orders and 1 Prohibition Order on food businesses for breaches of food safety legislation.  Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders last month include: pest infestations; incorrect labelling; no food safety management […]

First Aid and Food Safety: Are you compliant?

Similar to Food Safety (HACCP), First aid is essential for every workplace and is a legal requirement under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. First Aid knowledge is invaluable for both you as the individual Food Business Owner but also for your fellow co-workers and for general work place safety in your […]

Food Allergens – Your Business, Your Responsibility

It has been remarkable and sad the fresh emphasis on Food Allergen Control this month. The high profile Pret a Manger case where a young girl died from a sesame seed contaminated baguette to the jailing of the Owner and Take Away Manager of Royal Spice for delivering a dish without nuts declared, where another […]

Barmbrack is a traditional fruit bread associated with Halloween for centuries. I recall with delight as a child getting a coin in my slice of brack or even a ring. Each item had a special meaning,- a stick meant you would not marry, a piece of cloth meant poverty, a coin would mean riches and […]

Listeria Monocytogenes – What is it and how can it be controlled?

Listeria monocytogenes is a unique bacterium which is ubiquitous in the environment. It invades through epithelial cells of GI tract and targets the immune system. It is a very important pathogenic bacterium to be aware of as it can survive and grow at low temperatures i.e. it can grow at a range of -0.4-50 °C. […]

Sixty Nine Enforcement Orders served on food businesses in 2017

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) yesterday stated that 69 Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses by Environmental Health Officers (EHO’s) in 2017. This compares with 106 Enforcement Orders in the previous year.The FSAI outlined the importance of robust food safety management procedures based on the principles of HACCP. It also stressed that […]

Childhood obesity – How did we get here?

Recently a Teacher friend returned to her former school from a teaching post abroad. Whilst overseas she qualified as a Nutritionst and developed a healthy product range to include delicious protein balls and treats- naming them FUEL YOUR ROOTS. To her dismay the biggest selling items in the school shop are crisps and fizzy drinks and […]

BBQ Food Safety Tips

The sun is finally shining, temperatures are set to reach the mid 20’s and the allure of eating outdoors is enticing us all to dust off our barbeques and get cooking! I have developed a short checklist to ensure that the food you serve is safe, and free from harmful bacteria which could potentially make […]

Healthy food options – Is you business prepared?

Health and well being is a huge trend within the food industry. With so many Irish people embracing a healthier, more active lifestyle, interest in and demand for healthier foods has peaked and it’s growth is likely to continue. Many food buinesses are responding to consumer demand for healthier food choices, by examining food trends, […]

Siobhan Ni Laocha, The Food Safety Company, wins prestigious award from NHP

Our Health & Safety and Food Safety Consultant, Siobhan Ni Laocha, was recently awarded with the prestigious award of Student Of The Year with the National Hygiene Partnership. Siobhan joined our team in 2015, with 19 years experience in a range of roles and industry sectors to include project management of food safety, health and […]

Food Trends for 2016

Nutrition, Labelling, Calorie Posting and the “Free From Diet”. In 2016 it will be a legal requirement to put Nutritional information on all food labels. We at The Food Safety Company are offering a label review in a smart and cost effective way to enable you to have simple and compliant labels! Calorie Posting is […]

Food Borne Disease

A Food Borne Disease is caused by consuming water or food which is infected with a micro-organism that can cause illness in humans. Food Borne Disease is not to be confused with Food Poisoning Bacteria as there is distinct differences between the two. There is many different Food Borne Diseases and the symptoms can range from mild aggravations to […]

Food Allergies- Is your business prepared?

A Food allergy is an abnormal immune response to a certain type or types of food. This is a response to a food type which would not occur in the majority of people. The top 14 allergies include: Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Eggs, Sesame, Milk, Fish, Crustaceans, Soya, Gluten, Mustard, Celery, Sulphites, Lupin and finally Molluscs. Rough […]

Peanut and Nut Allergies-Are you Aware?

Both Peanut and Nut allergies are two of the most serious allergies currently known. The Peanut Allergy is actually the most common form of Food Consumption Death at the moment. There is a distinct difference between Peanut and Nut allergies. A nut allergy is a hypersensitivity to tree nuts which causes an over-reaction of the […]

Food Terrorism!

TACCP (not HACCP!) The Mary Daly Food Safety Team recently attended an intensive information course on TACCP. TACCP stands for Threat Assessment Critical Control Point. This course was directly informing us about the new danger of Food Terrorism and what we can do to limit its effectiveness. TACCP has been prevalent in the US for […]

The effects of Russia’s Import Ban

The negative effects of Russia’s Import Ban on Irish Food Exports Russian authorities have recently announced that a ban on certain EU Food Imports will be extended until at least August 2016! This is a significant blow to the Irish Food Sector as Irish Agri-Food exports to Russia amounted to over €213 million in 2013 […]

More Closure Orders Issued on Food Business’s by the FSAI

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) issued 16 Closure Orders on Food Business’s in July 2015!! A closure order is usually issued when an earlier Improvement Order is ignored or not acted upon. Alternatively a closure order may be issued if an inspecting officer feels that if food production in these premises continues in […]