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FSAI Recall Organic Sunflower Kernels – Presence Of Salmonella.

Food Safety Authority Recall Batch of Do It Organic Sunflower Kernels Due to the Possible Presence of Salmonella

Alert Summary dated Wednesday, March 19th 2025.

Category 1: For Action.
Alert Notification: 2025.14.
Product Identification: Do It Organic Sunflower Kernels; pack size: 5kg.
Batch Code:
L2402615.
Best Before Date: 18/04/2026.
Country Of Origin: Netherlands
.

Message: The above batch of Do It Organic Sunflower Kernels is being recalled due to the possible presence of Salmonella.
Recall notices will be displayed at point-of-sale.

Nature Of Danger: People infected with Salmonella typically develop symptoms between 12 and 36 hours after infection, but this can range between 6 and 72 hours. The most common symptom is diarrhoea, which can sometimes be bloody. Other symptoms may include fever, headache and abdominal cramps. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days. Diarrhoea can occasionally be severe enough to require hospital admission. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness.

Action Required: Manufacturers, Wholesalers, Distributors, Caterers and Retailers:

Retailers are requested to remove the implicated batch from sale and display recall notices at point-of-sale.
Wholesalers/distributors are requested to contact their affected customers and recall the implicated batch and provide a point-of-sale recall notice to their retail customers.
Caterers should not use the implicated batch.
Consumers: Consumers are advised not to eat the implicated batch.

Welcome Reduction In Nitrogen Levels In Rivers In 2024, says EPA

There has been a welcome reduction in nitrogen levels in rivers in 2024, says Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

  • Early Insights Nitrogen Indicator for 2024, published by the EPA, shows that nitrogen levels in rivers have reduced in 2024.
  • Despite the reduction, nitrogen remains too high in the southeastern half of the country and further reductions will be needed to bring them to satisfactory levels.
  • Agriculture is the primary source of nitrogen in our waters. Significant actions are underway by the sector to reduce nitrogen losses.
  • Ongoing and sustained actions will be needed to reduce nutrient levels so that the ecological health of our waters can improve.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published early insights into nitrogen levels in rivers in 2024. The Early Insights Nitrogen Indicator 2024 has been developed to provide more timely information on nitrogen levels and is based on monitoring data at 20 major and representative rivers. Overall, the early insights indicator shows that nitrogen levels have improved in 2024. However, nitrogen remains too high in the southeastern half of the country. Agriculture is the primary source of nitrogen in these areas.

Commenting on the report, Dr Eimear Cotter, Director of the EPA’s Office of Evidence and Assessment, said: “The EPA continually strives to produce timely information and evidence on Ireland’s environment. Specifically, this publication responds to a need for early insights into trends in nitrogen levels. Agriculture is the primary source of nitrogen in Irish rivers and there is significant action underway within the sector to improve water quality. It is therefore very welcome to see these early signs of improvement. It is important that the sector builds on this momentum and continues to implement actions to reduce nutrient losses in a targeted way.”

The EPA will publish its three-yearly assessment of water quality in Ireland, for the period 2019 – 2024, later in 2025. This future report will combine data on nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in waterbodies, with the biological quality monitoring data on fish, aquatic insects and plants, to give a comprehensive assessment of the ecological health of all waters.

Ms Jenny Deakin, EPA Programme Manager, added: “It is very positive to see this improvement in nitrogen levels in 2024, following a period of little positive change in recent years. However, nitrogen levels remain too high in the southeastern half of the country. Further actions will be necessary to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus losses to levels which will support good ecological health in our water bodies. The ecology will not improve until nutrient levels are reduced in the areas where they are elevated. The EPA will be reporting on the ecological health of our waters later in 2025.”

The Early Insights Nitrogen Indicator 2024 report is now available on the EPA website.

Further information on local water quality and targeting agricultural measures is available on the EPA website.

Undeclared Peanuts In Batch Of Centra Chocolate Covered Raisins.

Undeclared peanuts in mispacked batch of Inspired by Centra Chocolate Covered Raisins.

Alert Summary dated Tuesday, March 18th 2025.

Allergy Alert Notification: 2025.A09
Allergen: Peanuts
Product Identification: Inspired by Centra Chocolate Covered Raisins; pack size: 250g
Batch Code: 5048131596A; best-before: Nov 2025

Message: The above batch of Inspired by Centra Chocolate Covered Raisins was mispacked with Chocolate Covered Peanuts. The product contains peanuts which are not mentioned on the label.
This may make the batch unsafe for consumers who are allergic to or intolerant of peanuts and therefore, these consumers should not eat the implicated batch.

St Patrick’s Weekend- Thurles Supermarket Trading Hours.

For those of you planning on heading to the shops this weekend, hereunder, please find opening and closing times of your main Thurles Town supermarkets, over this 2025 St Patrick’s weekend.

Liberty Square, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Pic: G. Willoughby.
St Patrick’s weekend 2025:Aldi Opening HoursDunnes Store Opening HoursLidl Opening HoursTesco Opening HoursSuperValu Opening Hours
Friday 14th08:00-22:0008:00 – 21:0008:00-22:0008:00-21:0008:00-21:00
Saturday 15th08:00-22:0008:00 – 19:0008:00-22:0008:00-21:0008:00-21:00
Sunday 16th09:00-21:0009:00 – 19:0009:00-21:0009:00-20:0009:00-09:00
Monday 17th09:00-21:0009:00 – 19:0009:00-21:0010:00-19:0008:00-10:00

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, while enjoying this upcoming bank holiday weekend.”

Closure Order Served On Tipperary Food Premises.

In total seven ‘Enforcement Orders’ were served on Irish food businesses in February 2025

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today reported that seven Enforcement Orders were served on food businesses during the month of February for breaches of food safety legislation, pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998 and the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020. The Enforcement Orders were issued by Environmental Health Officers in the Health Service Executive (HSE) and sea-fisheries protection officers in the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority.

Four Closure Orders were served under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020 on:
Bombay Kebab House (Take Away), 3 Bridge Street, Carrick-on-Suir, Tipperary. (For Enforcement Report View Here.
Day to Day, Hayestown (Retailer), Boyne Road, Hayestown, Navan, Meath.
Tank & Skinny’s, @Number 6 (Restaurant/ Café), Courtyard Shopping Centre, Letterkenny, Donegal.
Lams (Take Away), 286 Ballyfermot Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10.

Two Closure Orders were served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on:
Universal Food Wholesale Distribution Limited (Wholesaler/ Distributor), Unit B3 National Enterprise Park, Togher, Portlaoise, Laois.
Far East (Restaurant/ Café), 339 Ballyfermot Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10

One Prohibition Order was served under the FSAI Act 1998 on:
Burren Smokehouse (Fish & Fishery Products Plants – ready to eat fish plants), Kincora Road, Lisdoonvarna, Clare.

Among the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in February were: rodent activity; six mouse carcasses on a warehouse floor; rodent droppings on a shelving unit in service counter area; complete lack of cleaning; significant dirt and grease accumulation on food contact surfaces and equipment; no hot water available for washing surfaces and food equipment; absence of a food safety management system; raw chicken stored in previously used chip boxes; crates and boxes containing out-of-date food in storage area; high-risk ready-to-eat foods and other cooked items stored at unsafe temperatures.

Mr Greg Dempsey, Chief Executive, FSAI, stated that vigilance is always required in relation to food safety and that standards must be maintained to ensure that consumer health is not put at risk.
“February’s Enforcement Orders serve as an important reminder that food safety must always be a top priority for all food businesses. Regular checks and adherence to food safety and hygiene standards are essential to protect consumers’ health and maintain public trust. There are no excuses for failing to comply with legal requirements, and any lapse in food safety practices puts consumers at direct risk. Implementing a food safety management system is straightforward, especially with the supports available from the FSAI, yet some businesses continue to neglect this crucial legal requirement. Consumers have a right to safe food and it is imperative that all food businesses uphold the highest standards of food safety and hygiene at all times.”

Separately, during the month of February one prosecution was taken by the Health Service Executive in relation to:
Dunnes Stores Unlimited Company (Retailer), Trimgate Street, Navan, Meath.

Full Enforcement Reports can be Viewed Here.