This is the monthly report of salient activities performed by the Health Inspectorate Services of the Environmental Health Directorate within the Superintendence of Public Health during August, 2011.
SUMMARISED REPORT
The following is a summary of the report for the month of August:
o 4 premises were closed down;
o 6 operators were ordered to stop an activity;
o 583kg of different foodstuffs were destroyed by the Health Inspectorate;
o 2 products were recalled;
o 770 total number of routine visits with an increase of over 200 visits during last month;
o 3 HACCP audits;
o 7 undertakings were issued;
o 9 Legionella audits carried out;
o 18 swimming pools audited during 6 audits;
o 6 abatement notices issued;
o 45 consignments imported were inspected;
o 2 packages containing tattoo equipment were withheld;
o 16 Ship Sanitation certificates issued;
o 83 applications were processed;
o 89 visits related to food business applications;
o 858 samples elevated and analysed;
o 10 citations issued/processed;
o 810 complaints lodged with the Health Inspectorate.
DETAILED REPORT
IMPROVEMENT NOTICES ISSUED TO FOOD BUSINESS OPERATORS
Seven Hundred and Seventy improvement notices in terms of article 33 of the Food Safety Act have been issued to food business operators by the Health Inspectorate Services.
This notice is sent to all food business operators following an unannounced inspection by Environmental Health Officers within their establishment. The intention of this notice is to inform food operators about deficiencies noted in their establishments while the operator is given a specific deadline by when the deficiencies need to be remedied. Though the seriousness of deficiencies might vary, legal action is initiated when major deficiencies are noted.
HACCP AUDITS
Three HACCP audits were carried out during August. The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point is a Food Safety Management System which is obligatory in most food business operations.
UNDERTAKINGS
During the same month, seven undertakings were entered into with food business operators including to improve hygiene and to ensure that all food handlers undergo training on food hygiene.
Undertakings are legal agreements between the commercial operators and the Health Authority specifying deadlines by when deficiencies in their premises should be remedied or to re-label products in compliance with standing legislation. Failure to abide with the agreed deadlines results in Court proceedings being initiated.
DESTRUCTION OF FOOD
In August, around 583kg of different foodstuffs were destroyed by the Health Inspectorate, ranging from:
o 386kg fresh chicken parts which were unrefrigerated;
o 78kg of ginger powder due to possible presence of Salmonella;
o 69kg of pork due to illegal food preparation
o 40kg of honey due to labelling and durability date irregularities; and
o 10kg of pies processed in an illegal establishment
LEGIONELLA AUDITS AND POOL INSPECTIONS
Nine audits at Hotels, and other similar premises to ascertain compliance with Control of Legionella Regulations, 2006 (L.N. 5 of 2006) and the Registration of Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers Regulations, 2006 (L.N. 6 of 2006) were performed by the Health Inspectorate during last month.
During the same month, eighteen swimming pools were inspected during six relevant audits carried out by the Health Inspectorate to verify compliance with Swimming Pools Regulations, 2005 (L.N. 129 of 2005). This regulation specifies that all swimming pools with the exception of those situated at a single family residence need to register with this Directorate.
During August, one swimming pool and one private water supplier were registered with this Directorate in terms of mentioned regulations. A list of registered pools and private water supplier can be found in the Directorate’s website mentioned below.
INSPECTIONS OF SCHOOLS
During August, one school was inspected to ensure compliance with general hygiene requirements. Such inspections are carried out in private, government or church owned schools and whether, primary, secondary, tertiary or language or special schools.
ABATEMENT NOTICES
Six abatement notices were issued during the previous month by the Health Inspectorate in terms of the Public Health Act and in view of inspections and audits carried out in the previous days.
ENFORCEMENT NOTICES
During last month, one Hotel was served with an Enforcement Notice and closed down in terms of the Public Health Act due to presence of Legionella in the water system.
FOOD CONSIGNMENTS
Fifty-five consignments of food imported into Malta were also inspected during August by Environmental Health Officers attached with the Port Health Services within this Directorate.
During this period, these officials also withheld two packages containing tattoo equipment which were being imported illegally into Malta.
SHIP SANITATION CERTIFICATES
During August, sixteen Ship Sanitation Certificates were issued by the Port Health Services. Such inspections are carried out in terms of the International Health Regulations of 2005 and involve the assessment of the general hygienic conditions and control measures undertaken on ships. Such certificate needs to be renewed every 6 months at an authorised port; Malta being an authorised port.
APPLICATIONS AND CONSULTATIONS
During August, another unit within the Environmental Health Directorate, the Food Safety Unit, received fifty-two requests to process applications to operate a food business. Prospective operators who wish to open a food business are obliged to apply for a permit with the Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) and then apply for the actual licence with the competent authority such as the Trade Licensing Unit or Malta Tourism Authority. At every stage, this Directorate is consulted in order to verify suitability of proposed premises.
During the same month, Environmental Health Officers deployed within this unit carried out a total of eighty-nine visits and processed four consultations.
With regards to non-food applications, the Health Inspectorate received another thirty- one applications for clearance with respect to proposed outlets such as tattooists, beauticians, hairdressers, etc.
SAMPLES
During August, 858 samples were elevated by the Health Inspectorate and submitted to the Public Health Laboratory for analysis and/or examination for several parameters;
o 171 food samples,
o 121 potable water samples,
o 33 swabs,
o 71 infiltration water samples,
o 435 sea water samples and
o 27 other samples.
During the last months, the Directorate also launched its sampling programmes as has been done in recent years. Throughout this year, 16 microbiological sampling programmes and 28 chemical sampling programmes are planned.
RECALLS
During last month, there were two recalls as follows:
1. Noodles on 1st August, 2011 and
2. Caponata on 5th August, 2011
BATHING WATER MONITORING PROGRAMME
As stated above, during the month of August, 435 samples of sea water were collected and submitted to the Public Health Laboratory to be analysed for microbiological parameters as stipulated by EU Directive 2006/7/EC. The bathing water monitoring programme is carried out in accordance with the provisions of said EU Directive. The official bathing season started on the 16th May 2011 and will last till the 23rd October 2010. Sampling is carried out from 87 official bathing sites throughout the Maltese islands.
Up to the 16th week of the monitoring programme the 87 sites have been classified as follows: 83 sites as Excellent Quality, 4 sites as Good Quality, and No sites as Sufficient or Poor Quality.
CONTRAVENTIONS
In the past month, ten contraventions were issued/processed by the Health Inspectorate, three of which were food related as follows:
o Hawker in Birgu for failing to provide washing facilities, potable water supply and failing to register with Food Safety Commission;
o One Manufacturer in Marsa for placing on the market food with foreign object and for failing to inform Health Authoirty that product produced did not meet food safety requirements;
o One vehicle in Valletta for keeping fresh rabbits and cheeselets outside recommended temperatures, for exposing food to risk of contamination, lack of traceability and improper labelling
Another seven contraventions were related to environmental health issues:
o Five contraventions were related to several outlets who were found in possession of cigarette packets without the necessary pictorial health warning and
o One premises in St. Paul’s Bay for not abiding with an abatement notice; and
o Several owners of an open Space in B’kara for keeping an accumulation of refuse.
EMERGENCY CONTROL AND PROHIBITION ORDERS
During August, the following premises were closed down by the Health Authority due to an imminent risk to public health;
1. Fuyi Cantonese Cuisine, Trqi il-Hgejjeg, Bugibba;
2. Caffe Al Latte, Pioneer Corps Road, Bugibba;
3. Main Kitchen of Travellers Lodge
4. Belmar Lido, Triq Ramlet, Armier l/o Mellieha;
During the same month six operators were served with emergency control orders as follows:
1. One producer in Ta Qali for producing ready-to-eat foods without the necessary food safety facilities;
2. One borehole in Mosta being illegally used for human consumption and one hotel in Bugibba for similar purposes;
3. One Confectionery in Sta. Venera for food safety irregularities;
4. One residence in Siggiewi for producing foodstuffs for business purposes; and
5. One confectionery in Siggiewi for selling foodstuffs not prepared in duly licenced premises.
COMPLAINTS
In August, 810 complaints were lodged with the Directorate which were categorised in one or more category, as follows:
o Food related complaints
140 complaints were related to food. The most common type of food complaints concerned unhygienic premises (25 complaints), unfit food (20 complaints), improper labelling of food (16 complaints), improper storage of food (14 complaints), and risk of contamination (13 complaints).
o Other Environmental Health related complaints
Another 701 complaints were environmental health related. The most common type concerned presence of pests (226 complaints), infiltrations (91 complaints), accumulations of refuse (79 complaints), foul water (56 complaints), foul smells (53 complaints) and keeping of animals in unhygienic conditions (36 complaints).
Note: The number of complaints and the number of categories do not tally, since one complaint received may encompass one or more categories.
The Environmental Health Directorate takes this opportunity to remind the public that it can contact the Health Inspectorate Services between 7:00am and 3:00pm on telephone number 21337333, by calling personally at its offices at 37-39, Rue D’Argens, Msida or by email complaints.ph@gov.mt [1] .
For further information, the public is also encouraged to visit the Directorate’s website at URL: https://ehealth.gov.mt/HealthPortal/public_health/environmental-health/department_for_env_health.aspx [2]