Foodstuffs, including 3,700 kilos of fig paste, were destroyed by the Health Department last month following enforcement action on numerous outlets.

Other confiscated food included 46 kilos of meat, 10 kilos of cheese, 80 kilos of date cakes, 54 litres of bottled water and over 60 kilos of various other foodstuffs.

Three emergency prohibition orders to close down premises were also issued to an unlicensed outlet manufacturing ice-cream at 20, Triq in-Narċis, San Ġwann, unlicensed premises manufacturing confectionery items in unsanitary conditions in a garage at Triq is-Snajja, Msida and to an operator at 112, The Strand, Gżira because of unhygienic conditions and structural deficiencies inside a restaurant.

In all, 448 improvement notices were issued to food business operators calling on them to clean up their act after surprise inspections showed up shortcomings in their establishments. They were given a specific date by which to remedy the deficiencies.

When the shortcomings are major, legal action is taken and in January there were eight undertakings, that is, deadlines imposed by the Health Department whereby deficiencies on a food operator's premises have to be remedied or products re-labelled to comply with health regulations.

Failure to abide by the agreed deadlines will lead to court proceedings being initiated.

There were 10 severe food safety deficiencies in January, including two food business operators who were served with notices for failing to abide by a previous undertaking.

Other contraventions included an operator who had foodstuffs with tampered labelling and spoiled food products showcased in a delicatessen counter; another for selling frozen poultry as fresh; another who did not have a food handlers' licence; two who were found to be operating in unhygienic conditions; two for defective drains and another one for failing to abide by an abatement notice, which is a notice served to food operators informing them that the Health Department would enter their premises and/or shut them down in the event of structural or sewerage problems.

Emergency control orders were issued to two operators who were found producing foodstuffs in premises that were not licensed and also lacked hygienic conditions.

Complaint can be made on 2133 7333 between 7.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m.

Type of complaints

In all, 343 complaints relating to environmental health and 55 to food were lodged with the Health Inspectorate last month.

The most common type of environmental health complaints related to:

• Pest infestation - 93 complaints.

• Infiltration of water - 73 complaints.

• Drainage overflow - 29 complaints

• Accumulation of refuse - 25 complaints.

The most common type of food safety complaints were:

• Unfit food - 10 complaints

• Unhygienic premises - 10 complaints

• Food labelling - eight complaints.