Archives

Specific Batches Of Breadcrumbs Recalled Due To Presence Of Listeria monocytogenes

According to the Irish Food Safety Authority (FSAI); ‘Pat the Baker’ and ‘Irish Pride’ are both recalling batches of breadcrumbs due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes.
Point-of-sale recall notices will now be displayed in stores supplied with the implicated batches, including Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Supervalu and Lidl .

The Products in Question include:

  • Pat the Baker Quality Bread Quality Crumb; pack size: 400g
  • Pat the Baker Breadcrumb; pack size: 5Kg
  • Irish Pride Bread Crumbs; pack size: 400g
  • Irish Pride Catering Bread Crumbs; pack size: 2Kg

Batch Code: All batches with a best before date from 27/05/2022 to 15/06/2022 inclusive.

Symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection can include mild flu-like symptoms, or gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. In rare cases, the infection can be more severe, causing serious complications. Some people are more vulnerable to Listeria monocytogenes infections, including pregnant women, babies, and people with weakened immune systems, including the elderly. The incubation period (time between initial infection and first symptoms appearing) is on average 3 weeks but can range between 3 and 70 days.

Retailers are requested to immediately remove the implicated batches from sale and to display a point-of-sale recall notice in stores where the affected batches were sold.

Wholesalers/distributors are requested to contact their affected customers and recall the affected batches and provide a point-of-sale recall notice to their retailer customers.

Caterers and consumers are strongly advised not use or eat the implicated batches.

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail

Weekend Baking Project: Easy & Nutritious Pint Glass Soda Bread.

During lockdown many of us are discovering the joys of baking as a pastime, not to mention the self-sufficiency and satisfaction gleaned from making something from scratch.

One item we’d surely all like to master is the art of bread making. There’s nothing like the taste and smell of freshly made bread in your own home. What’s more; during lockdown, being able to make your own bread saves an almost daily visit to your local food store – helping us to keep that bit safer.

Many of us, however, avoid making bread thinking it’s too difficult, but we at Thurles.info are here to help. We have tracked down and tested what is arguably one of the easiest recipes for making bread you could find.

You don’t even need a weighing scales to measure ingredients, just a pint glass!

Ingredients to make an easy and delicious Irish soda bread:
1 pint glass of coarse flour.
1 pint glass of white flour.
3/4 pint of buttermilk.
Enough salt to coat the bottom of a pint glass.
Enough bread soda to coat the bottom of a pint glass.
Enough butter to coat the bottom of a pint glass, (or about 4 teaspoons).

This recipe was devised by a Tipperary man, Mr. Peter Ward of Country Choice, Nenagh Co. Tipperary.


View his YouTube video shown above to watch how easy it is to make this nutritious soda bread and enjoy!

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail

Consumer Complaints To FSAI Advice Line Increase In 2023.

Worms in frozen dumplings – Stone in black pudding – Dead mouse in strawberries.

A total of 7,732 complaints and queries were handled by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland’s (FSAI) Advice Line in 2023.
Announcing details today of the complaints and queries last year, the FSAI stated that there were 4,395 complaints from consumers, with 31.9% of complaints relating to poor hygiene standards, 27.2% to unfit food and 26.7% to suspected food poisoning.
Overall, the 4,395 complaints in 2023 saw an 8.3% increase compared with 4,058 complaints in 2022, which continues an overall upwards trend over the past decade. All complaints received by the FSAI in 2023 were followed up and investigated by food inspectors throughout the country.

Poor hygiene standards were most frequently reported in 2023, which included complaints about: staff not having hair covered during food preparation; toilets being dirty; staff handling food and cash with the same gloves; food unprotected from contamination (e.g. flies around baked goods on the counter); bins outside overflowing and attracting animals; dirty fridges; food not being stored correctly; visibly dirty premises; and rodents spotted.

The second most frequently reported category related to unfit food, which means food that is not safe to eat. Unfit food includes contamination with a foreign object. Commonly reported foreign objects in food included: plastic; hair; insects; glass; stones and wood.
Examples include: insect found in instant noodles; snail found in coleslaw; dead mouse found in punnet of strawberries; stone found in black pudding; mould in prepacked rice bag; piece of bone found in a chocolate bar; worms in frozen dumplings; piece of plastic inside a pepper pot; part of a latex glove found in bag of spinach; a shard of glass in a loaf of bread; metal shaving in takeaway noodles; and a metal pin in a prepacked salad.
Other complaints regarding unfit food cited meats not cooked completely; food that smelled/tasted off; food sold past their use-by dates; and mould on foods.

The third most frequently reported category related to reports of suspected food poisoning, with chicken; beef; fish; and shellfish as the most common food mentioned in the complaint.

The breakdown of all complaints are as follows:

Hygiene standards: 1,404.
Unfit food: 1,196.
Suspect food poisoning: 1,175.
Labelling: 231
Allergen Information: 149.
Others: 181.
Unregistered food business: 59.

    Dr Pamela Byrne, (Chief Executive, FSAI,) stressed the importance of making complaints to the FSAI, so that any food safety issues can be addressed.

    “Our online complaint form continues to be a valuable resource enabling the public to contact us with their food safety complaints. It is crucial for food establishments to maintain high standards of food safety practices, and reports made by the public greatly assist Environmental Health Officers, veterinary and agricultural inspectors, sea-fisheries inspection officers, and laboratory staff in their work. While routine inspections are carried out regularly, reports from the public help to identify specific issues, ensuring swift identification of potential threats to public health. The increase in complaints reflects a growing awareness among the public of their right to safe food and the importance of high standards of food safety and hygiene. We encourage anyone who observes poor hygiene or food safety practices to promptly report it to FSAI for thorough investigation by the relevant authorities,” said Dr Byrne.

    The FSAI’s Advice Line also offers advice and information and during 2023, there were 3,337 queries from people working in the food industry; food safety consultants; researchers; consumers; and others. Popular topics included: how to start a food business; requests for FSAI publications; food labelling information; best practice in food businesses; food safety training; imports/exports, and several others.

    The FSAI Advice Line is contactable through our online complaint form ‘makeitbetter’ or through our online query form. The FSAI Instagram, facebook and X pages are also resources with up-to-the-minute information in relation food safety: www.facebook.com/FSAI and @FSAIinfo.

    Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail

    Holy Week Religious Services – Thurles Parish 2024.

    Holy Week Easter Religious Services – Thurles Parish 2024.

    Date:Religious Service: Church:
    Tuesday March 26th.Confession6:00pm until 7:00pm, – Mass.
    Confession also after Mass, if required.
    Church of St Joseph and St Brigid, Bóthar-Na-Naomh.
    Wednesday March 27th.Daily Mass – 11:00am.
    Cathedral of the Assumption.
    Chrism Mass – 7:00pm.Cathedral of the Assumption.
    Thursday March 28th. (Holy Thursday).Please note there will be no 11:00am Mass.
    ……………………………………………..
    Mass of the Lord Supper – 7:00pm. Family Mass to include First Communion Children. Cathedral of the Assumption.
    Mass of the Lord Supper – 8:00pm . Pallottine Chapel.
    Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane – 9:00pm.Church of St Joseph and St Brigid, Bóthar-Na-Naomh.
    Friday March 29th. (Good Friday)Children’s Story of Easter – 11:00am.Church of St Joseph and St Brigid, Bóthar-Na-Naomh.
    The Lord’s passion – 3:00pm.Cathedral of the Assumption.
    The Lord’s passion – 3:00pm.Pallottine Chapel.
    Stations of the Cross – 7:00pm.Church of St Joseph and St Brigid, Bóthar-Na-Naomh.
    Prayer around the Cross – 9:00pm.Cathedral of the Assumption.
    Saturday March 30th.
    (Holy Saturday)
    Liturgy of blessing of Bread – 12:30pm.Cathedral of the Assumption.
    (Polish Community).
    Confession 2:00pm5:00pm. Cathedral of the Assumption.
    Easter Vigil – 7:00pm.Cathedral of the Assumption.
    (Beginning outdoor weather permitting).
    Easter Vigil – 8:00pm.Pallottine Chapel.
    Sunday March 31st.
    (Easter Sunday)
    Early dawn Mass – 6:30am.Killinan Cemetery, Nenagh Road, Thurles. (R498).
    Mass – 9:00am.Cathedral of the Assumption.
    Polish Community Mass – 9.30am. Presentation Convent Chapel.
    [Polska Msza Sw odbedzie sie w Niedziele Wielkanocna 31 Marca o godz 9:30 rano w kaplicy Siostr Presentation Convent.]
    Mass – 10:00am.Church of St Joseph and St Brigid, Bóthar-Na-Naomh.
    Mass – 10:00am.Pallottine Chapel.
    Mass – 11:00am.Cathedral of the Assumption.

    Please Note: There will be no 7:00pm Mass on Easter Sunday, in the Church of St Joseph and St Brigid, Bóthar-Na-Naomh.
    There will be no Eucharistic Adoration on Good Friday & Holy Saturday.
    Holy Places Collection will take place on Good Friday.
    Envelopes available at the back of both Churches.

    Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail

    Education & Training Guide For Young People No Longer In Formal Education.

    Further Education & Training Guide For Young People No Longer In Formal Education Launched.

    • Provides guidance on the further education and training options available who have left formal education.
    • Information not previously readily accessible for Youth Justice workers and participants of Youth Diversion Projects.

    Minister of State at the Department of Justice Mr James Browne TD and Minister for Skills and Further Education Niall Collins TD have today launched a guidance document to help young people in Youth Diversion Projects, to access Further Education and Training related opportunities.

    This includes apprenticeships, traineeships, Post Leaving Cert (PLC) courses, community and adult education and core literacy and numeracy services as well. Details are also included with regard to the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) which is a higher education admissions scheme for Leaving Certificate students (under 23) whose economic or social background are under represented in higher education.

    Minister Browne said: “We know that young people who leave formal education prematurely and do not make the transition into employment can be permanently affected in terms of longer-term life outcomes. Providing pathways back into education and training is an essential part of our Youth Justice response because it provides at-risk young people with opportunities to turn their life around.
    This guide brings together the details of further education and training options available across the country to young people no longer in the formal school system. Our Youth Justice workers, who do amazing work helping young people across the country, will have a key role in matching young people with available training and other opportunities that suit their needs and interests”.

    The potential negative impacts of being outside of the formal education sector are recognised in the Youth Justice Strategy 2021 – 2027, which contains a strategic objective to address the effects of disengagement from education and early school leaving, and support those who may be vulnerable to disengagement.

    Minister Collins said, “Further education and training is available in every county in Ireland. It can offer any person, regardless of any previous level of education, a pathway to take them as far as they want to go. The range of courses expands from law to childcare, to hairdressing and ICT. There is something there for everyone.
    Today’s announcement brings together key information on what is available and how to access it, and it is there for you when you need it, for whatever you need it for. Throughout life, regardless of present or past circumstances educational opportunities are available for everyone right across country. I would encourage support services and all who come into contact with young people to use the guide to ensure the breadth of education and training options are known to them and their families”.

    Youth Justice workers and young people participating in Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) will now have a nationwide list of the Education & Training Boards (ETBs) Adult Guidance Information Service contact points and details on the type of Further Education and Training (FET) opportunities that are available.

    Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail