Food safety unit shut down café for non-compliance
Non-compliance of food safety is a concern identified in the greater Labasa Town area by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services Food Safety Unit
The unit, which is working to mitigate the concern, ceased the operations of two food outlets in Labasa Town yesterday.
Divisional health inspector, Vakaruru Cavuilati, said the temporary closure was to address the non-compliance to Section Five (7) of the Food Establishments Grading Regulation (2012). The two outlets that have ceased operations are: Rajesh Café and Fatima’s Restaurant and Café.
Both these outlets underwent an inspection last Thursday and received Grade D.
Grade D outlets were below the compliance rate of 70 per cent. A total of 11 outlets had been inspected in the first monitoring and more outlets are to follow soon.
Mr Cavuilati said these outlets were given three days to rectify their shortfalls in compliance after which another inspection would be conducted.
“We want to send a strong message across to all food operations in Labasa that if food standards, storage and preparation is not adhered, closure is certain,” he said. Some requirements not met by both outlets included: poor personal hygiene of staff in food preparation, poor food handling, poor storage, no clear demarcation of certain areas, poor storage of chemicals, greasy floors and unorderly presentation of utensils. Restaurant owner Rajesh Khanna, requested the team for five days to amend the faults, however, the health team, gave a three-day timeframe.
Mr Khanna assured the inspection team that these would be addressed before their next inspection. Mr Cavuilati emphasised these operators must understand the significance of their moral and legal responsibilities.
“They feed the public and the product must meet that standard of food preparation and hygiene,” he said. The outlet cannot sell any food items, but, staff can use this time to address the outlet’s non-compliance issues.
Failure to comply within the timeframe given by the ministry would result in further prosecution.
Four categories of grades are approved for food outlets from A-D with D ranked the lowest and in high risk of immediate closure.