Food « Thurles Information

FSAI Warn Of Wheat In Batches Of Poco Loco 8 Tortillas.

Food Safety Authority of Ireland warn of wheat in batches of Poco Loco 8 Tortillas Original, same not labelled in English.

Allergy Alert Notification: 2025.A14
Allergen: Cereals containing gluten
Product Identification: Please see table below.
Batch Code: Please see table below.
Country Of Origin: Belgium

Message: The ingredients in the below batches of Poco Loco 8 Tortillas Original are not labelled in English. The implicated batches contain cereal containing gluten (wheat). This may make these batches unsafe for consumers who are allergic to or intolerant of cereals containing gluten (wheat), and therefore, these consumers should not eat the implicated batches.

The affected batches are being recalled.

Product name.	Pack size.	Batch numbers.	Best before dates.
Poco Loco 8 Tortillas Original.	320 g	35063 35064	04/10/2025 05/10/2025

Consumer Complaints Forwarded To FSAI Increase In 2024.

A total of 8,596 complaints and queries were handled by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland’s (FSAI) Advice Line in 2024. Announcing details today of the complaints and queries last year, the FSAI stated that there were 4,996 complaints from consumers, with 32% of complaints relating to unfit food and 29% to suspected food poisoning.

Overall, the 4,996 consumer complaints in 2024 represented a 13.7% increase compared to the previous year with 4,395 complaints. The figures reflect an overall upwards trend over the past decade. All complaints received by the FSAI in 2024 were followed up and investigated by food inspectors throughout the country.

Unfit food, which is food that is not safe to eat, was the most frequently reported complaint in 2024. Unfit food also includes contamination with a foreign object. Commonly reported foreign objects in food included: plastic; insects/spiders; hairs; glass; metal; and stones.

Examples of some of the complaints include a large piece of rubber in a protein bar; a dead spider in a loaf of brown bread; a piece of glass in a chicken breast; a pack of muesli full of maggots; a toothpick in a bag of chips; a metal pin in pre-packed prawns; a piece of plastic in a milkshake; a metal nail in a takeaway meal; a snail in a box of grapes; a live insect in a burrito bowl; and a large piece of metal in a chocolate biscuit. Other complaints regarding unfit food cited undercooked meats; food served cold when it should be hot; and foods with “off” tastes or smells.

The second most frequently reported category related to reports of suspected food poisoning making up 29% of the total complaints in 2024. This was an increase on the 23.3% of food poisoning complaints in 2023.

The third most frequently reported category related to poor hygiene standards with reports of rodents spotted in businesses; staff not wearing appropriate clothing; poor personal hygiene with staff openly coughing and sneezing; staff not washing hands and handling food and money with the same gloves; excessive flies and insects spotted in food businesses; generally unclean premises; food not being stored correctly with fridges and freezers not cold enough; and food being stored in boxes on floors.

The breakdown of all complaints are as follows:

Unfit food: 1,597
Suspect food poisoning: 1,449
Hygiene standards: 1,289
Labelling: 169
Others: 156
Allergen Information: 155
Unregistered food business: 81

Mr Greg Dempsey (Chief Executive, FSAI), stressed the importance of making complaints to the FSAI, so that any food safety issues can be addressed.
“We welcome consumers and food businesses contacting us via our Advice Line. People reporting inappropriate and unsafe food and practices is vitally important and is an essential component, supporting the work of the food inspectorate to ensure the highest standards and quality across the food chain. The year-on-year increase in complaints to the Advice Line reflects an increased awareness among consumers of the importance of food safety and also demonstrates their zero-tolerance approach when it comes to poor food safety and hygiene standards in food products and in food premises,” said Mr Dempsey.

“Food businesses have a legal obligation to provide safe food and it is vital that food businesses ensure they adhere to the legislation at all times. The FSAI Advice Line, supported by a comprehensive website and learning portal, are important resources for the food industry, and we encourage all food business operators to avail of these free and accessible tools,” added Mr Dempsey.

The FSAI Advice Line also offers advice and information. During 2024, there were 3,600 queries from people working in the food industry, including caterers, food manufacturers, retailers; and others.
Popular topics included: how to start a food business; food labelling information; best practice in food businesses; food safety training 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 to food safety: www.facebook.com/FSAI and @FSAIinfo.

FSAI Warn Of Sulphur Dioxide In Batches Of Palm Sugar.

Food Safety Authority of Ireland Warn Of Undeclared Sulphur Dioxide In Batches Of Palm Sugar,

Alert Summary dated Friday, April 11th, 2025.

Allergy Alert Notification: 2025.A13
Allergen: Sulphur dioxide
Product Identification: Please see table below.
Batch Code: Please see table hereunder.

Country Of Origin: Thailand

Message: Sulphur dioxide was detected in the below batches of Palm Sugar, which is not declared in the list of ingredients. This may make these batches unsafe for consumers who are allergic to or intolerant of sulphur dioxide, and therefore, these consumers should not eat the implicated batches.
The affected batches are being recalled.

Product name.	Pack size.	Batch numbers.	Best before date.
Palm Sugar.	200g.	260724. 301123.	26/07/2026. 30/11/2025.

FSAI Warn Of Sulphites, soybeans, & Gluten In Milano Drop Skin Drops.

Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) warn of the presence of sulphites, soybeans and possible presence of gluten in specific batches of Milano Drop Skin Drops.

Alert Summary dated Thursday, April 10th 2025.

Allergy Alert Notification: 2025.A12
Allergens: Cereals containing gluten, soybeans, sulphites
Product Identification: Milano Drops Skin Drops; pack size: 50ml
Batch Code: All batches with no batch code or best before dates.
Country Of Origin: Australia

Message: Specific batches of Milano Drop Skin Drops, which do not contain batch codes or best before dates on the product label, are being recalled.
The implicated batches contain soybeans and sulphites and may contain cereals containing gluten which are not declared in the list of ingredients.
This may make the batches unsafe for consumers who are allergic to or intolerant of cereals containing gluten, soybeans or sulphites and therefore, these consumers should not eat the implicated batches.

Tipperary Co. Co. Grant Permission For Thurles Single Storey McDonald’s Restaurant.

Correspondence forwarded, by Tipperary Co. Council on the 9th of April last, 2025, to McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland Ltd. regarding their applications for the granting of planning permission for a drive-thru McDonald’s Restaurant here in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, [Ref. No. 2460829]; we can now confirm that permission has been granted.

The correspondence forwarded to McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland Ltd. reads as follows:

A Chara,
In pursuance of the powers conferred upon them by the above mentioned Acts, Tipperary County Council has by Order dated 09/04/2025 decided to grant you permission for development of land namely:-the development of a single storey drive-thru restaurant including the ancillary sale of hot food for consumption off the premises with an associated corral area, elevational signage, modifications to existing vehicular access off the Thurles Relief Road, car parking including accessible parking spaces, grill bays, EV charging spaces, bicycle parking, a height restrictor, customer order points with associated canopies, totem signage, free-standing signage, banner frames and digital menu boards, ESB substation and kiosk, landscaping including outdoor furniture/seating area with parasols, boundary treatments, lighting, and all associated site and engineering works necessary to facilitate the development.

A Natura Impact Statement (NIS) has been prepared and is submitted to the planning authority with the application at Land at Slievenamon Road and Thurles Relief Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

For the reason(s) stated in schedule 1 and subject to the condition(s) stated on schedule 2 (1 to 15, pages 1 to 3). If there is no appeal against the said decision, a Grant of permission in accordance with the Decision shall be issued as soon as maybe, but not
earlier than 3 working days after the expiration of the period within which an appeal may be made to An Bord Pleanala. (See Footnote at end of document).
It should be noted that until a Grant of a Permission has been issued the development in question is not authorised. The applicant is advised that unless the development described above is carried out within five (5) years from the date of Grant of PERMISSION, planning permission will cease to have effect.

Signed on behalf of Geraldine Quinn, (Director of Services) – Date: 9th April, 2025.

Amongst the many conditions included in the permission granted are:–
The development, should it go ahead, will not be permitted to operate outside the hours of 6:00am and 10:00pm, unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Planning Authority.
REASON: In the interests of residential amenity.

Prior to development commencing detailed design of the ventilation, air conditioning and mechanical equipment required to service the development shall be submitted for the written agreement of the Planning Authority. The equipment shall be located as per the details proposed and shall incorporate noise and odour mitigation measures in the design.
REASON: In the interest of residential and visual amenity.

Lighting will not be permitted to impact significantly on the amenities of adjoining properties or the safety of traffic on the public road. In the event that the Planning Authority receives complaints from neighbouring properties about light spillage, the Planning Authority will request the carrying out of a survey, by a suitably qualified person.
REASON: In the interest of residential amenity and traffic safety.

Free field noise levels attributable to the development (when assessed at all noise sensitive locations) during operation shall not exceed 55d B LAeq,T.

This grant of permission does not extend to the banner frames located at the northwestern and western ends of the site. These shall be omitted. Details of the banner frame and sign at the site entrance shall be submitted for the written agreement of the Planning Authority prior to development commencing.

All surface waters drainage from the site shall be discharged to the surface water sewer as proposed via a class 1 Petrol Interceptor.
The surface water drainage system shall be revised to incorporate nature based sustainable drainage measures that shall be integrated with the soft landscaping and tree planting proposals. Details of these measures shall be illustrated on a revised drainage plan for the site (to a scale of 1:500) that shall be submitted for the written agreement of the Planning Authority prior to development commencing.