A total of 10,898 queries and complaints were handled by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland’s (FSAI) advice line in 2010.  Announcing details of the information requests and complaints last year, the FSAI stated that one in four of all calls related to consumers reporting issues concerning food and food establishments. Representing an increase of over 7% on 2009, these 2,126 (1,981 in 2009) complaints ranged from reports of unfit food, low hygiene standards, inaccurate labelling information and suspected food poisoning.

The 2,126 complaints lodged by consumers are:
• 914 complaints on unfit food
• 433 complaints on suspect food poisoning
• 402 complaints on hygiene standards
• 156 complaints on incorrect information on food labeling
• 25 complaints on incorrect advertising of food products
• 196 other

The FSAI confirms that contamination with foreign objects was frequently reported by consumers.  In 2010, these reports included food contaminated with live and dead insects; a tooth; a needle; safety pins; stones; and a cotton bud.  Specific incidents cited were; a live beetle was found in a bag of Caesar salad; a moth in a Madeira cake; a ring washer in a bowl of soup; and a zip in a black pudding.  Consumer concerns relating to poor hygiene standards in food premises ranged from staff not wearing hairnets when handling food; no hot water or soap in bathroom facilities; as well as insects and rodents visible in food premises.  All complaints received by the FSAI were followed up and investigated by environmental health officers throughout the country.

 “The increase in our reports is a positive indication of people’s heightened awareness of their right to expect high standards of hygiene and food safety in relation to food.  We welcome all reports and every single case we receive is followed up swiftly and directly with the food business involved,” says Edel Conway, Information Manager, FSAI “Consumers are becoming more vigilant; they expect and should get an adequate standard of food hygiene in every food establishment and across every food product they purchase. We encourage anyone who witnesses poor hygiene or food safety standards to report the matter to the FSAI, so that it can be investigated by the environmental health officers.”
 
“The potential health risks posed when poor food safety and hygiene standards are not met by food businesses can be serious. There is no excuse for a food business to have poor standards across any area of its production processes – our advice line is not only a service for consumer complaints but is also an important resource tool for the food industry to assist them raise their standards with the best available advice.”

The remainder of the 10,898 calls made to the FSAI’s advice line in 2010 related to advice on food labelling; legal requirements for starting up a new food business; food safety training information; food legislation; and requests for FSAI publications. 

The FSAI advice line, which operates from 9am to 5pm weekdays, is manned by trained advisors and food scientists and can be reached on lo-call 1890 336677.  Alternatively anyone can email their enquiry to info@fsai.ie or through the ‘make a complaint’ section of our website.  The FSAI facebook page is also a resource with up to the minute information in relation food safety: www.facebook.com/FSAI