Hawkers, tattooist, booked by health inspectors

Health inspectors last month booked a festa hawker for exposing food to risk of contamination, keeping of food in unsuitable temperature conditions and structural deficiencies.

An illegal catering establishment was booked for lacking amenities to operate a food business; two hawkers were booked for not providing necessary hand washing facilities while a confectionery was similarly booked for selling unpackaged meat products thus exposing a risk of contamination to other food.

Another outlet was found to have removed sealing of food products without authorisation.

The Health Inspectorate said a tattooist was also found operating illegally from his own residence and a person was caught smoking inside a non-smoking area at Mater Dei Hospital.

The department issued; one for illegal manufacture of food from own residence and sale of same for further retail, one for keeping an illegal catering establishment without necessary amenities to operate a food business and one for selling unpackaged meat products and hence causing a risk of contamination to other food.

The department said that 478 improvement notices were to food business operators following an unannounced inspection by Environmental Health.

Eleven agreements were reached operators who were required to improve their premises or their food safety management systems.

In September, over 878kg of food and drinks were destroyed by the Health Inspectorate, ranging from frozen foods (600kg), spreads (82kg) honey (37.5kg), and several other miscellaneous food items.

Eleven audits at hotels, and other similar premises were made last month and 27 Ship Sanitation Certificates were issued.

From the Law Courts

During the last three months, thirty one cases (out of 190 cases) were decided by the Magistrate's Court during seven Health Sittings. From these cases, those found guilty were sentenced with conditional discharges ranging from one month to six months whilst, a total of just over €2,400 fines were imposed as follows;

• Two van operators was fined a total of €1,500 for having in his possession improperly labelled products and others which have been tampered with, expired foodstuffs, and also for exposing food to risk of contamination on three different dates at Zurrieq open market (6^th July, 2006), Luqa open market ( 21^st August, 2006) and Zerafa Str., Marsa (29^th August, 2008); and
• Operators of Snoopy's Restaurant, 256 Tower Road Sliema and Blue Cave Restaurant, Wied iz-Zurrieq were both fined €465.87 each for not complying with an undertaking endorsed by themselves. Contraventions date back 25^th June, 2007 and 12^th May, 2009 respectively.

In addition, the department said, the following were given conditional discharges;

• Operators of Maria Concetta Mini Market, Triq Rikardu Taylor Cospicua for having in 28^th November 2005 food in his/her possession which was unfit for human consumption;
• Operator of Magic Kiosk, Pjazza Sant' Anna, Sliema for keeping unhygienic conditions on the 1^st November 2007;
• Operator of Hompesch Trading Company, Wied il-Ghasel, Burmarrad for having on the 12^th March, 2009, food in his/her possession which was mouldy;
• Operator of De La Tour Ent. Ltd., 1, Triq Sta Marija, Maghtab for possessing honey which did not meet criteria laid down in Legal Notice 213 of 2004 on the quality of honey (contravention dated 24^th April, 2009);
• S Quisite Snack Bar, Paceville for keeping unhygienic conditions on the 15^th March, 2010;
• Kiosk (Vehicle No CBQ-487) at Mqabba Feast for keeping unhygienic conditions on the 14^th August, 2009
• Rojolin Bakery, 3 Churches Str, Balzan and John's Food Market, Triq l-Inbid, Attard for having foodstuffs without proper labelling (both dated 4^th June, 2010); and
• M & S Discount Store, 69, Triq Matty Grima, Bormla for having in possession dairy products at improper temperature conditions and risk of contamination (citation dated 2^nd July, 2010)