Kitchens operated by Marsa immigrants closed down

Three kitchens operating illegally by immigrants at the Marsa Open Centre were closed down due to unhygienic conditions as part of e nforcement action by the Environmental Health Directorate within the Public Health Regulation Department in April.

In a statement, the directorate said that 417 improvement notices were issued, an 18 per cent increase over the previous month. This was also above the current average of 381 improvement notices per month, when comparing data for the first four months of this year.

This notice is sent to all food business operators after an unannounced inspection is performed at their establishment.

The intention is to inform food operators about deficiencies found in their establishments and these are given a date by when to remedy these deficiencies. While deficiencies may vary, when major deficiencies are noted legal action is taken.

Ten undertakings were entered into with operators. The main reasons were improperly labelled food, failure to have a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system in place, and structural deficiencies.

Undertakings are legal agreements between the food business operators and the Health Authority specifying deadlines by when deficiencies should be remedied or to re-label products in compliance with existing legislation.

Failure to abide with the deadlines results in the initiation of court proceedings.

The directorate said that around 93 kilogrammes of food, ranging from milk products, bakery and confectionery goods, honey and table water, were destroyed.

Three food related contraventions were issued to food business operators for a number of reasons, including keeping premises in unhygienic conditions, failing to abide with an undertaking, and exposing food to the risk of contamination.

Another seven contraventions were issued to establishments for failing to repair defective drains, drain irregularities and keeping accumulations of refuse.

The directorate said that two emergency control orders were issued. Both were for the use of borehole water for human consumption by a hotel and a cheeselet producer when these boreholes were unregistered and not in line with the criteria laid down in the water intended for human consumption regulations.

The directorate said that 493 complaints were lodged with the Health Inspectorate.

Fifty-four of these complaints were food related. The most common type of food complaints were regarding fitness (14), improper labelling (10), and unhygienic premises (seven).

439 complaints were environmental health related. The most common type concerned the presence of pests (120), infiltrations (94), defective drains (30), foul smells (28), accumulations of refuse (27) and sewage overflows ( 22).

The public can contact the Health Inspectorate Services between 7.30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on number 2133 7333, 37-39, Rue D’Argens, Msida, e-mail complaints.ph@gov.mt .