Evidence of extensive cockroach infestation and raw chicken stored on a dirty floor are just some of the reasons why 10 food businesses were served with closure orders during September.

According to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), closure orders are issued when there is, or is likely to be, a ‘grave and immediate danger to public health at/in a food premises'.

It has been publishing the names of food businesses served with closure orders and other types of enforcement orders for the last decade. However, it has now started to make available the full details of the various orders served on businesses in order to ‘increase transparency as a regulator and to raise food safety and hygiene standards'.

"Enforcement orders are served on food businesses only when a serious risk to consumer health has been established or where there are a number of ongoing serious breaches of food legislation. We believe this initiative will help to dispel any misinformation regarding the reasons why enforcement orders are served and will also let other food businesses know some of the things to avoid in their premises," explained FSAI chief executive, Dr Pamela Byrne.

A total of 10 closure orders were issued by HSE environmental health officers in September in a number of locations, including Dublin, Cork, Galway and Donegal. The types of businesses served with the orders included restaurants, takeaways and retailers.

"Some of the specific reasons the orders were served this month include evidence of rodent infestation, failure to maintain temperatures of foodstuffs, filthy conditions with aged dirt and debris, unsuitable food storage facilities, evidence of extensive cockroach infestation, and raw chicken stored on a dirty floor," Dr Byrne explained.

The full details of the enforcement orders served on food businesses can be viewed on the FSAI website here. Closure orders will remain listed on the website for three months from the date when a premises is judged to have corrected its food safety issue.