Some 42t of dairy product was deemed “unfit for human consumption” and had to be disposed of by a large-scale cheese processing plant following an audit by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).

Initially, due to non-compliances with food law, 4.46t of cheese at the unnamed cheese plant was deemed unfit for human consumption by the FSAI, a new report from the body outlined.

The cheese was disposed of as category two animal by-product in 2022.

The cheese processing plant was subsequently asked to review all stock in the establishment.

This resulted in approximately 42t of product being disposed of as category two animal by-product.

A subsequent audit in another area of the country identified product being stored for this food business.

This product was also deemed unfit for human consumption and was disposed of as category two animal by-product.

Non-compliance

All produce was disposed of under the supervision of the dairy control and certification division (DCCD), an agency of the Department of Agriculture.

The DCCD first identified the non-compliances with food law within this food business between 2021 and 2022.

It then issued compliance notices to the cheese plant under statutory instrument 22 of 2020 European Union (food and feed hygiene) Regulations 2020.

As a result of official controls carried out by DCCD staff on downgraded cheese at the plant, an EU rapid alert system for food and feed (RSAFF) was raised regarding the unauthorised placing of food unfit for human consumption on the market.

In 2022, the FSAI completed a planned audit of the official controls performed by the DCCD and subsequently selected this business for audit, as there were four compliance notices in place.