Food « Thurles Information

FSAI Provides Advice On Slush Ice Drinks For Young Children.

The Food Safety Authority Ireland (FSAI) today provides advice for parents, guardians and caregivers to limit young children’s consumption of slush ice drinks that contain glycerol, due to potential side effects including headaches, nausea and vomiting.
It advises that children aged four and under should not consume glycerol-containing slush ice drinks and that consumption should be limited to no more than one per day for children aged between five and ten years of age.
The FSAI states that glycerol is an EU approved additive and is used to lower the sugar content of drinks. Glycerol gives ice drinks a slushy effect and whilst it is generally not harmful, there are concerns about its effects on young children under ten years of age when consumed in large quantities. Slush ice drinks are sold via slush ice machines in a variety of outlets and are also sold pre-packaged in supermarkets/retail stores.

The FSAI has developed voluntary guidelines for the industry. These guidelines require the industry to use the minimum quantity of glycerol necessary when making slush ice drinks; ensure that their customers are aware of the FSAI’s advice for younger children in relation to slush ice drinks; display point-of-sale warnings stating “this product contains glycerol and is not recommended for children aged 4 and under”; and to avoid offering free refills of slush ice drinks to younger children.

Commenting today, Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive, FSAI, states that its advice is seeking to limit exposure by young children to glycerol and to raise awareness that high levels of consumption can potentially cause side effects. She stated, “The Department of Health’s Healthy Eating Guidelines has placed slush ice drinks on the top shelf of the healthy eating food pyramid, meaning that they are not part of a healthy balanced diet and should only be consumed in moderation as a treat. Whilst we do not want to cause parents, guardians or caregivers undue worry, we are advising that no child under 4 years of age should be consuming these slush ice drinks, and that consumption should be limited to no more than one per day for children aged between five and ten years of age. High consumption of glycerol containing slush ice drinks over a short period of time by young children could cause headaches, nausea and vomiting. On rare occasions, it could potentially lead to severe symptoms such as shock, hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and loss of consciousness.”

The FSAI has raised this issue with the European Commission and other Member States. Any change to the current food additive legislation, that may be necessary, will have to carried out at European level.

For more information, please see our advice for consumers.

Farmers Market Meet Thurles Market Quarter Officer & Project Designer.

On July 2nd last, 2024, members of Thurles Farmers Market had their first meeting, regarding the soon to be erected Thurles Market Quarter, same due to commence in an area close to Thurles Town Park. Those in attendance at this meeting included the Project Officer and the Market Quarter project designer.

Surprisingly, the contract for this Market Quarter project had already been signed; with construction work, we are informed, scheduled to begin next month, on August 6th.
This new Town Park car park, which was only officially opened less than 8 years ago, is now again to undergo a major upheaval, with the new project expected to make this area unavailable for public use for the following 16 months, at a cost of €3.4 million in Rural Regeneration Funding, with little or no discussion or consultation with town residents or the business community.

Adding this project to the promised overdue upgrading of Liberty Square West and the overdue upgrading of Slievenamon Road, together with the traffic which will be generated by students returning to their various schools and the inability to find parking; businesses in the town square will surely trade with immense difficulty.
People are now asking, what if any influence does Thurles Chamber of Commerce, the representative body for the business community in Thurles, have, regarding this matter?

**New** **Thurles Town Park car park which was constructed, landscaped & opened **just** 8 years ago**.
*Pic: G. Willoughby.*

In 2020 the district Council had sought a letter of support for the project from Thurles Farmers Market which they confirm was provided. However, later in 2021 Thurles Farmers Market had sought further information in relation to the proposed trading area and had expected to meet with the designers, prior to sanction of this project, but this meeting had never materialised.

New Café.
Thurles Farmers Market, following their July 2nd meeting, have learned that the stone agricultural out building first erected in the great famine years, are to be refurbished and expanded by means of a glazed extension. When completed same is expected to accommodate an 83 seater café, for which an operator has yet to be located as a tenant.
The building had been sought for leasing from the Co. Council, by the Thurles Famine Museum, prior to the latters forced closure by the local C of I Community, however, the request was found unsuitable by Thurles Municipal District Council officials.
However, interesting to note that some 100 metres away yet another café style restaurant, run by the same Co. Council, remains closed, after several tenants vacated the space, same unable get a fair return on their initial investment.

The Market Quarter.
The ‘Market Quarter’ itself will see a canopy erected over a section of this car park area which will be modified to allow access to water and electricity at a number of service points for future market days. The restructured area is expected to lose 16 car parking spaces to struggling businesses in the immediate area.
The canopy, which will be cream in colour with no branding, cannot come lower than 4m from the ground due to the fact that cars are being parked under the canopy. The council says no trader or customer parking will be allowed under the canopy during Market events.

We learn Thurles Farmers Market are to be given some storage space, under the stairs, in this soon to be refurbished café, which again will be controlled by Tipperary Co. Council.

Now, with few spaces guaranteed available to park a motor vehicle, Thurles will surely be obliterated.

The ambiguity and inexactness start HERE. “The Town Centre First Plan will be driven by the local community and businesses.”
Could this €3.4 million Rural Regeneration Funding not have been more wisely spent, e.g. the purchase of the now derelict eyesore, that is the Munster Hotel, Cathedral Street, demolished to provide accommodation for 3rd level students, attending our two 3rd level collages.
One must ask; did any of our local councillors or their officials ever visit the Garden Centre, Restaurant & Farmer’s Market, known as Solas, situated on the Dublin Road, out of Portarlington, Co. Laois.

Note: No expensive giant umbrella here. These many trading stalls are made from attractive shipping containers where Traders can store their own produce etc, in each container when trading finishes. Imagine the air of contentment experienced here, when shopping, with free parking, (no €1.20 for limited parking here, that’s if you can find parking.).

Imagine the number of such containers you could purchase, using Rural Regeneration Funding of €3.4 million and the employment generated, not to mention the benefits gained through creating sustainable rural development and much needed countryside resurgence.

The waste of taxpayer funding by Tipperary Co. Council, assisted by the government, continues.

FSAI Food Allergen Alert.

Undeclared wheat in all batches of True Natural Goodness Giant Cous Cous.

Alert Summary dated Monday, July 8th, 2024.

Allergy Alert Notification: 2024.A24.
Allergen’s: Cereals containing gluten.
Product Identification: True Natural Goodness Giant Cous Cous; pack size 500g.
Batch Code: All batches and all best-before dates.
Country Of Origin: USA.

Message: All batches of True Natural Goodness Giant Cous Cous contain wheat (cereals containing gluten) which is 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 (wheat).

FSAI- Recall Etoile de Provence Banon AOP – Goats’ Cheese.

Recall of specific batches of Etoile de Provence Banon AOP (raw milk goats’ cheese) due to the presence of Yersinia enterocolitica.

Alert Summary dated Monday, July 8th, 2024.

Category 1: For Action.
Alert Notification: 2024.30.
Product Identification: Etoile de Provence Banon. AOP (raw milk goats’ cheese): pack size: 100g.
Batch Code Best-before dates: 12/07/2024 & 19/07/2024.
Country Of Origin: France.

Message: The above batches of Etoile de Provence Banon AOP (raw milk goats’ cheese) are being recalled due to the presence of Yersinia enterocolitica.

Nature Of Danger: Yersinia enterocolitica are bacteria which may be ingested via contaminated food or water. Symptoms of yersiniosis most often develop 3-7 days after infection. Symptoms include fever, abdominal cramps, watery or bloody diarrhoea, headaches, and vomiting. Yersiniosis is typically self-limiting, and symptoms can persist from 1-3 days up to 3 weeks. Some individuals are more vulnerable to infection, including young children, older adults and immunocompromised individuals.

Action Required: Retailers are requested to remove the implicated batches from sale and display recall notices at point-of-sale.

Consumers are advised not to eat the implicated batches.

Resilience Of Drinking Water Supplies Must Improve.

The quality of drinking water from public supplies remains very high, with over 99.7 per cent of samples compliant with bacterial and chemical limits.
The number of people served by “at risk” public water supplies has increased again in 2023 to 561,000, up from 481,000. This is primarily due to detections of persistent THM’s and cryptosporidium.
The number of long-term boil water notices was 46 in 2023, almost double the number in 2022.
One in twenty supplies failed to meet the THM standard in 2023.
Progress to remove lead from our supply networks to protect public health is far too slow.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ‘Drinking Water Quality in Public Supplies Report 2023’ released today, shows that over 99.7% of public water supplies comply with bacterial and chemical limits, which means our public water is safe to drink.

However, many supplies still lack robust treatment measures to guarantee their long-term resilience and safety. The EPA’s Remedial Action List (RAL) identifies “at-risk” supplies that require improvements to safeguard public health.
In 2023 there has been a further increase in the number of people served by supplies on the RAL (up to 561,000 – from 481,000).
While it is positive to note that ten supplies were removed from the RAL following improvement works, the EPA – through enforcement and assessment activities – have identified a further nine “at-risk” supplies that were added, primarily for THM and Cryptosporidium exceedances.

Good progress has been made in other areas such as disinfection, progression of the Drinking Water Safety Plan approach and making the lead remediation grant easier for the public to access.

Launching the report, Dr Tom Ryan, EPA Director said: “Our public water quality remains very high, which means that the public can remain confident that drinking water supplied to their homes is safe to drink. However, the resilience of drinking water supplies isn’t robust enough as evidenced by more “at-risk” supplies being identified by the EPA, and an almost doubling of long-term boil water notices in 2023. Implementing the findings of Drinking Water Safety Plans will be crucial to improve the resilience of supplies- this will require corresponding sustained investment in water services to continue to provide the people of Ireland with a safe and secure supply into the future.”

One in twenty supplies failed to meet the Trihalomethane (THM) standard in 2023 and supplies on the RAL for THM’s are impacting almost 300,000 people. Greater effort is needed by Uisce Éireann to implement improvements at supplies, to minimise exposure to THM’s, including at major supplies such as Limerick City, and Kilkenny City.

With regard to lead in drinking water, Mr Noel Byrne, EPA Programme Manager, said: “Lead in our drinking water is a cumulative risk to human health and must be removed from our drinking supply network. Despite Ireland having a National Lead Strategy in place since 2015 progress to date has been far too slow. Uisce Éireann must accelerate the rollout of their lead mitigation plan to deal with the public supply network; the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Department of Health must outline their plans for lead replacement in public buildings and householders with lead pipes in their homes should avail of the enhanced lead remediation grant scheme to protect their health.”

In 2023, boil water notices impacted 254,000 people. Half of boil water notices were in place for more than 30 days, nearly double the number from 2022. This recent trend of significantly more long-term boil water notices needs to be reversed by Uisce Éireann and requires proactive measures to address the underlying causes and improve the resilience of these supplies.

The EPA Drinking Water Quality in Public Supplies 2023 Report and the complete list of public water supplies currently on the Remedial Action List – including details of the proposed remedial measures and associated timeframes – are available on the EPA website linked above.