The Environmental Health Directorate within the Superintendence of Public Health is making every effort to keep its contact with the public through a monthly release of its report.
The following is a summary of actions taken during May, 2012.
The following is a summary of the report hereunder:
o Over 284kg of foodstuffs were destroyed;
o 657 improvement notices were issued during last month;
o 1 HACCP audit performed;
o 12 undertakings were issued;
o 1 product was recalled from consumers;
o 6 Legionella audits carried out;
o 6 swimming pools were audited during 4 audits;
o 20 schools inspected;
o 11 abatement notices issued;
o 71 food consignments imported were inspected;
o 1 consignment of tattoo equipment was also withheld;
o 2309 notification for importing/trading food into Malta;
o 23 Ship Sanitation certificates issued;
o 135 applications were processed;
o 2077 control cards for narcotics and psychotropic substances were issued;
o 28 illegal tobacco related adverts and 2 illegal tattoo adverts were removed;
o 637 samples were elevated and analysed;
o 28 citations issued/processed;
o 1 premises was closed down; and
o 558 complaints lodged with the Health Inspectorate.
IMPROVEMENT NOTICES ISSUED TO FOOD BUSINESS OPERATORS
Six hundred and fifty seven 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
One HACCP audit was carried out during May. The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point is a Food Safety Management System which is obligatory in all food businesses.
UNDERTAKINGS
During May, twelve undertakings were entered into by the Health Inspectorate, seven of which were food related and concerned hygiene of food premises, provision of washing facilities, and on improperly labelled food. Five undertakings were public health related such as 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 May, 284.5kg of different foodstuffs were destroyed by the Health Inspectorate, ranging from:
• 164.1kg assorted foodstuffs due to improper storage conditions;
• 53.2kg of delicatessen due to lack of traceability;
• 44kg of meat produced without any permits;
• 6.9kg of meat products exposed to risk of contamination and with lapsed durability date;
• 8.5kg of doughnuts exposed to risk of contamination and
• 7.7kg of salami with tampered durability date.
RECALLS
Throughout last month, one food product was implicated in withdrawals/warnings issued by this Directorate, due to presence of undeclared wheat.
LEGIONELLA AUDITS AND POOL INSPECTIONS
Six audits at Hotels, and other similar premises to ascertain compliance with Control of Legionella Regulations, were performed by the Health Inspectorate during last month.
During the same month, six swimming pools were inspected during four audits carried out by the Health Inspectorate to verify compliance with Swimming Pools Regulations, 2005. No pools were 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 May, 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
Eleven 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
Seventy-one consignments of food imported/traded into Malta were also inspected during May 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
2,309 requests for importation/trading of foodstuffs were submitted to the Port Health Services.
All traders of food including food contact materials and food supplements are reminded to notify the Port Health Services, 48hours in advance.
SHIP SANITATION CERTIFICATES
During May, twenty three 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 May, the Health Inspectorate received 135 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 103 visits and three consultations.
CONTROL CARDS FOR NARCOTIC AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES
During May, 2077 control cards for narcotic and psychotropic substances (1267 females and 810 males) were issued by the Drug Control Unit, which is another unit falling under the Health Inspectorate Services. 215 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.
ILLEGAL ADVERTISMENTS
During May, 28 adverts involving Tobacco products and including electronic cigarettes in breach of Tobacco (Smoking Control) Act were noticed on local sites and the respective advertisers and webmasters were instructed to remove, something which was actually complied with.
During the same month action was also taken against another two adverts in breach of the Control of Tattooing Act.
SAMPLES
During May, 637 samples were elevated by the Health Inspectorate and submitted to the Public Health Laboratory for analysis and/or examination for several parameters;
o 93 food samples,
o 55 potable water samples,
o 29 swabs,
o 91 infiltration water samples,
o 2 pool water samples,
o 348 sea water samples,
o 19 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.
BATHING WATER MONITORING PROGRAMME
During the month of May, 348 samples of sea water were collected and submitted to the Public Health Laboratory to be analysed for microbiological parameters as stipulated by an EU Directive. The bathing water monitoring programme is carried out in accordance with the provisions of said EU Directive. The official bathing season started on the 14th May 2012 and will last till the 21st October 2012. Sampling is carried out from 87 official bathing sites throughout the Maltese islands.
Up to the 3rd 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
During this month, twenty eight contraventions were issued/processed by the Health Inspectorate, twenty-one of which were related to food safety issues:
• Four hawkers for failing to provide adequate washing facilities, failing to register business and food handlers with Food Safety Commission, and exposing food to risk of contamination;
• One retailer for exposing food to risk of contamination and failing to register vehicle used for transportation of food;
• One retailer for exposing food without proper labelling, exposing food with lapsed ‘Use By’ date and food handler failed to attend food hygiene training;
• Another retailer for failing to provide traceability and exposed food to risk of contamination;
• One retailer for selling foodstuffs with lapsed ‘Use By’ date, lack of traceability, improper labelling, exposing food to risk of contamination;
• Three manufacturers and one catering establishment for not abiding with an undertaking;
• One retailer for selling foodstuffs at improper temperatures, lack of traceability, preparing meat products without licence, and exposed food to risk of contamination;
• Another retailer for selling foodstuffs at improper temperatures and lack of traceability;
• One retailer for not abiding with instructions and failing to provide information;
• Two water bowsers for providing water from an unregistered source and without having said bowser registered with the Food Safety Commission;
• Another bowser for not being registered with the Food Safety Commission;
• One trader for providing false information;
• One operator of a catering establishment for lack of cooperation with Health Authority;
• One operator of a catering establishment for failing to abide with a control order, and an improper ventilation system
Seven were related to environmental health issues, as follows:
• Five residences for having their rain water connected with the drainage system;
• One premises for keeping an accumulation of refuse;
• One person for smoking in Hospital
EMERGENCY CONTROL ORDERS
During May, no emergency control orders were issued and hence no activities were stopped.
EMERGENCY PROHIBITION ORDERS
During last month, one premises was closed down by the Health Authority due to imminent risk to public health, as follows:
• Kitchen at Euro Club Hotel, Triq il-Fliegu, Qawra
The operator carried out the necessary remedial works and the kitchen was reopened two days later.
COMPLAINTS
In May, 558 complaints were lodged with the Directorate which were categorised in one or more category, as follows:
o Food related complaints
91 complaints were related to food. The most common type of food complaints concerned unfit food (14 complaints), unhygienic premises (11 complaints), improper labelling (10 complaints), and risk of contamination (10 complaints).
o Other Environmental Health related complaints
Another 524 complaints were environmental health related. The most common type concerned presence of pests (145 complaints), infiltrations (108 complaints), accumulations of refuse (43 complaints), drainage overflows (31 complaints), and keeping of animals in unhygienic conditions (25 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 [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] or on its facebook page on http://www.facebook.com/pages/Environmental-Health-Directorate-Malta/145027878928626COMPLAINTS [3]