The Environmental Health Directorate within the Superintendence of Public Health said that it is making every effort to keep its contact with the public through a monthly report

The following is a summary of actions taken during February, 2012.

The following is a summary of the report hereunder:

o 610 improvement notices were issued during this month;

o 3 HACCP audits performed;

o 21 undertakings were issued;

o 9,334.17kg of foodstuffs were destroyed;

o 4 products recalled and another 2 press releases issued;

o 10 Legionella audits carried out;

o 23 swimming pools were audited during 8 audits;

o 2 pools were registered in February;

o 20 schools inspected;

o 22 abatement notices issued;

o 59 food consignments imported were inspected;

o 1 consignment of tattoo equipment was also withheld;

o 1729 notification for importing/trading food into Malta;

o 20 Ship Sanitation certificates issued;

o 93 applications were processed;

o 2617 control cards for narcotics and psychotropic substances were issued;

o 279 samples were elevated and analysed;

o 15 citations issued/processed;

o 1 operator was instructed to stop an activity; and

o 346 complaints lodged with the Health Inspectorate.

DETAILED REPORT

IMPROVEMENT NOTICES ISSUED TO FOOD BUSINESS OPERATORS

Six hundred and ten 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 is an increase of 118 inspections when compared to February of last year.

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 February. The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point is a Food Safety Management System which is obligatory in all food businesses.

UNDERTAKINGS

During February, twenty-one undertakings were entered into by the Health Inspectorate. Sixteen were food related and were divided as follows: thirteen concerned hygiene of food premises, training of food handlers, amongst others and three on improper labelling of food.

Five undertakings were entered into with operators due to environmental health issues in particular regarding issues related to Legionella control and pool safety.

Undertakings are legal agreements between the operators and the Health Authority specifying deadlines by which deficiencies in their premises should be remedied in compliance with standing legislation. Failure to abide with the agreed deadlines results in Court proceedings being initiated.

DESTRUCTION OF FOOD

In February, around 9,334.17kg of different foodstuffs were destroyed by the Health Inspectorate, ranging from:

• 5,240kg of beef following a rapid alert notification due to fraudulent certificates;

• 3,510kg of dried figs due to high aflatoxin levels;

• 522kg of various expired foodstuffs;

• 21.2kg of smoked fish due to lack of traceability;

• 18.25kg delicatessen due to being exposed to risk of contamination;

• 6.8kg Maltese-type sausages being produced without any authorisation;

• 8.4kg Pistachios due to presence of aflatoxins; and

• 1.2kg honey, 1.2kg syrup, and 5litres alcoholic beverages due to improper labelling.

RECALLS

Throughout last month, four food products were implicated in withdrawals/warnings issued by this Directorate, as follows:

• Baked beans in tomato sauce Brand Aicha x 400g with durability date 31.12.2012 and lot FD1 BB15 F LA329 due to excessive presence of tin;

• Quick hot chocolate with marshmallow Brand Felfoldi x 35g with durability date 23.09.2012 due to presence of undeclared hazelnut;

• Parboiled long grain rice Brand X-Tra x 908g 908g with durability date 10/2013 and Lot 007/2010 due to presence of foreign objects; and

• Gambero Rosso (Cinese) sgusciato x 1kg (70/100) with durability date 01/03/2013 and lot no. 11110 – 02/03/2011.

Statement regarding the presence of puffer fish in territorial waters, as per Press Release Number 0336 issued on 16.02.2012.

• Statement regarding a consignment of 24 tonnes of oranges dispatched from Egypt and intended to the local market which has been withheld by the Port Health Services within the Health Inspectorate Services due to high levels of a pesticide.

LEGIONELLA AUDITS AND POOL INSPECTIONS

Ten 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, twenty-three swimming pools were inspected during eight audits carried out by the Health Inspectorate to verify compliance with Swimming Pools Regulations, 2005 (L.N. 129 of 2005). Two pools were also registered with the Health Authority during this month. This regulation specifies that all swimming pools with the exception of those situated at a single family residence need to register with this Directorate. A list of registered pools can be found in the Directorate’s website mentioned below.

INSPECTIONS OF SCHOOLS

During February, twenty schools were 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

Twenty-two abatement notices were issued during this month by the Health Inspectorate in terms of the Public Health Act in view of inspections and audits carried out in the previous days.

CONSIGNMENTS

Fifty-nine consignments of food imported/traded into Malta were also inspected during February by Environmental Health Officers attached with the Port Health Services within this Directorate. One consignment of tattoo equipment was also withheld by the Port Health Services.

CONSIGNMENTS DOCUMENTARY CHECKS

1,729 requests for importation/trading of foodstuffs were submitted to the Port Health Services as required by Trading Regulations of 2004 (Legal Notice 315 of 2004.

SHIP SANITATION CERTIFICATES

During February, twenty 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 involves 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 February, the Health Inspectorate received ninety-three requests to process applications to operate food and non-food business. Prospective operators who wish to open such businesses 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 with the Food Safety Unit, which is involved in the licensing of food related business carried out a total of ninety-four visits and three consultations.

CONTROL CARDS FOR NARCOTIC AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES

During February, 2617 control cards for narcotic and psychotropic substances (1002 males and 1615 females) were issued by the Drug Control Unit, which is another unit falling under the Health Inspectorate Services. 184 of these cards were new applicants.

These cards are issued when a medical doctor deems that a person needs to be prescribed a psychotropic drug. An application form is filled in and handed over to the patient which is in turn submitted to the Drug Control Unit, Shop 12, City Gate, Valletta Tel; 21245490.

SAMPLES

During February, 279 samples were elevated by the Health Inspectorate and submitted to the Public Health Laboratory for analysis and/or examination for several parameters;

o 143 food samples,

o 48 potable water samples,

o 31 swabs,

o 49 infiltration water samples,

o 2 pool water samples;

o 6 other samples.

During this year, the Directorate has launched 18 microbiological sampling programmes and 37 chemical sampling programmes targeting several parameters in numerous categories of foodstuffs such as colours, aflatoxins, GMOs, radionucleides, etc.

CONTRAVENTIONS

During this month, fifteen contraventions were issued/processed by the Health Inspectorate, eleven of which were related to food safety issues:

• Two operators for failing to register with the Food Safety Commission as traders and for failing to notify Port Health Services of an importation of beer consignment and another two operators for failing to notify Port Health Services of an importation of beer consignment;

• One operator for producing Maltese-type sausages without approval from the Health Authority and for failure to provide documentation related to traceability;

• One hawker for failing to provide a proper wash hand basin and another two hawkers for failing to provide a proper wash hand basin and a sink for washing of food on their stalls;

• Three food business operators for failing to abide with an undertaking;

• One operator for not abiding with an emergency control order issued in December, 2011; and

• One operator for exposing food to risk of contamination.

Four contraventions were also issued on environmental health issues, as follows:

• One operator for failing to abide with an abatement notice issued earlier;

• Two residences due to leaky drains; and

• One due to rain water connected with drainage system.

EMERGENCY CONTROL ORDERS

During February, a butcher shop was ordered to stop from processing, manufacturing and packing of meat products without the necessary licence that is issued from the Health Authority.

EMERGENCY PROHIBITION ORDERS

During last month, no premises were close down by the Health Authority due to imminent risk to public health.

COMPLAINTS

In February, 346 complaints were lodged with the Directorate which were categorised in one or more category, as follows:

o Food related complaints

74 complaints were related to food. The most common type of food complaints concerned improper labelling (23 complaints), unfit food (15 complaints), and unhygienic premises (7 complaints).

o Other Environmental Health related complaints

Another 277 complaints were environmental health related. The most common type concerned presence of pests (78 complaints), infiltrations (57 complaints) and accumulations of refuse (30 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 7:30am and 3:30pm on telephone number 21337333, by calling personally at its offices at 37-39, Rue D’Argens, Msida or by email complaints.ph@gov.mt .

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 or on its facebook page on http://www.facebook.com/pages/Environmental-Health-Directorate-Malta/145027878928626.

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