A man who ran a mobile premises selling fast food had a case brought against him by the HSE at Ballina District Court this week after he was found to be non-compliant in relation to food legislation standards.
Sinead Kilcommins, environmental health officer, told the court that the food stall of Chris McCaul, 44 Forthaven, Coolaney, Co Sligo, was visited at the Bonniconlon Show on August 1 2011.
The premises, which was a mobile trailer selling fast food, was found to be in an unhygienic state. It was found not to be in clean and good repair and condition to avoid the risk of contamination.
The floor of the premises was filthy with dirt, which was particularly prevalent under the refrigerator and doors. Grease was congealed on the steps of the trailer and there were charred deposits found in the deep fat fryer. The shelves in the refrigeration unit were filthy and rusted and the top of the refrigeration unit was dirty. There was no hot or cold water available for employees to wash their hands or to disinfect work utensils. In fact the basin was inaccessible as it was covered with cardboard and paper. A generator was also used in the trailer, and located next to it was fuel oil on the floor.
The EHO also monitored food temperatures. A box of defrosted burgers was found in a delivery vehicle next to the trailer. The temperature recorded from them was 17 degrees. Coleslaw in the trailer had a temperature reading of 19.1 degrees, sausages found in a cardboard box recorded a temperature of 13.2 degrees, and the refrigeration unit in the trailer gave a reading of 13 degrees — all of these readings were well above correct storage temperatures.
The EHO spoke to McCaul and advised him of the standards of hygiene present. The food, worth €2,000, was seized and destroyed and the court heard that the trailer had since been sold. The court heard that McCaul was operating a food business in Ballyhaunis.
Judge Mary Devins convicted and fined McCaul €1,000 and directed that €1,500 be paid towards costs.
