Five food businesses were found to be contravening food safety legislation last month and the owners will be taken to court, the Department for Environmental Health said today.

They include two hawkers, one from B'Bugia and one from Paola open market, who were found not to be providing adequate hygienic facilities, one in Gharghur for illegal possession and processing of poultry, and another two in Gozo on authenticity of honey.

The department said that during November, 641 improvement notices were served. Such notices are sent to food business operators after unannounced inspections. The notices pointed out deficiencies found during the inspections and set deadlines for remedial action.

The department said, however, that when major deficiencies are noted, legal action is taken immediately.

Over 71kg. of foodstuffs were destroyed under the supervision of the Health Inspectorate last month for reasons such as improper storage conditions or for having expired.

The department said that last month it issued two emergency control orders - the first to stop a water bottler using a reservoir and the other to stop a honey producer using unhygienic premises.

No ‘Emergency Prohibition Orders' or ‘orders to close down premises' were issued during this month.

Eighty-five complaints relating to food safety were lodged with the Department during this month, 59 of which were lodged anonymously but were still investigated. The most frequent complaint was with respect to food exposed to the risk of contamination; 16 complainants reporting this matter, followed by alleged unfit food (13 complaints), 10 complaints on labeling irregularities and 10 on hygiene of food premises.

Another eight complaints were related to storage of food. The other complaints related to personal malpractices, delivery of food and similar food related complaints.

The Health Inspectorate Services can be contacted on 21337333 or by email complaints.ph@gov.mt .