Health « Thurles Information

Food Allergen Alerts – Check Your Fridge.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has issued a warning regarding certain batches of Lidl’s Glensallagh Glazed and Grilled American Style Cajun Shaved Ham, resulting in the Lidl Supermarket chain issuing an urgent recall of the ham, that may be unsafe for some Irish shoppers.

Households across Ireland are being encouraged to check their fridges for the affected item.

The warning comes as gluten has been detected in 3 batches, which was not declared on the label.

This can make the affected 3 batches unsafe for consumers who are allergic or intolerant of cereals containing gluten.

Other popular food items recalled in recent weeks.

A number of other popular food items have been recalled from Lidl, Centra and Dunne’s Stores in recent weeks amid other food safety fears.
Irish shoppers are being asked to ensure that they do not have any of these products stored in their kitchen cupboards, fridges/freezers etc.

These foods include:
“Golden Lily Dried Apricot Seeds”, due to high levels of Hydrocyanic Acid (Cyanide).
“Mars Bounty Ice Cream Bars”, containing the pesticide and sterilizing agent Ethylene oxide.
“Avoca Tomato Kasundi Chutney”, containing Mustard which makes the affected batches unsafe for consumers who are allergic or intolerant of mustard.
“Frozen Jona Red Tilapia Fish”, containing the veterinary medicines malachite green and leucomalachite green.
“Centra King Prawns”, mislabelling with incorrect use-by dates.
“Hao Hao Chicken Flavour Instant Noodles”, due to the presence of the unauthorised pesticide Ethylene Oxide.
“Villani Cacciatore Salami”, infected with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.
“Fray Bentos Just Chicken Pie”, containing plastic.
“Afroase Biteku Leaves” containing the pesticide Chlorpyrifos-ethyl.

FSAI Finds Non-Compliance In Several Food Businesses During Audit Of Labelling & Traceability.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) yesterday published an audit which found a level of non-compliance with food law and subsequently led to ten formal enforcement actions being undertaken.

The FSAI’s Audit of Food Business Operator Compliance with Meat Labelling and Traceability Requirements evaluated a representative sample of food businesses including supermarkets; butchers; food service establishments; storage and distribution establishments; meat processing plants; and slaughterhouses and their compliance with meat labelling and traceability requirements. The audit reviewed the availability, accuracy and appropriateness of information provided on labels and information for non-prepacked meat products.

A total of 27 unannounced, on-site audits were conducted on food businesses with a particular emphasis on checking compliance with meat labelling and traceability requirements. Key results from the report include:

Non-compliance with labelling requirements for prepacked food was detected in 18 of the establishments audited and 5 of these establishments had serious non-compliance.
Non-compliance with food information requirements for non-prepacked foods (in retail and foodservice settings) was detected during audits of five establishments. One of these five establishments had a serious non-compliance.
Non-compliance with traceability requirements was detected during audits of ten establishments. Five of these ten establishments had serious non-compliance.

Non-compliance with other aspects of food law, outside the planned scope of the audit, was also detected during audits of 17 of the establishments. At 14 of these 17 establishments, the non-compliance was considered serious. Corrective action reports have been issued to all the food businesses where non-compliance was detected.

The audit led to 10 formal enforcement actions by the food inspectorate or the FSAI against 6 food business operators. Some 14 recommendations were also made to strengthen compliance with food law, including instructing businesses to ensure that foods are labelled accurately. Another recommendation advised that compliance with traceability requirements should be improved and that food businesses should avail of the resources to assist them. It was also advised that food businesses minimise food waste by considering whether a ‘use-by’ date or ‘best before’ date should be applied to labels of prepacked frozen foods.
Speaking yesterday, Dr Pamela Byrne, (Chief Executive, FSAI), reminded food businesses that ensuring labelling and traceability legal requirements is key to safeguarding the health and interests of consumers.

Dr Byrne stated “While good practices were observed in some of the food businesses, disappointingly, this audit found that there was a varying degree of compliance by food businesses with meat labelling and traceability requirements. Fortunately, serious non-compliance with these requirements was confined to a small number of businesses. It is also disappointing that serious non-compliance outside the planned scope of the audit was observed at many of the businesses audited. Consumers have a right to safe food and their health and interests must be paramount to everything that food businesses do. We are continuing to work closely with the food inspectorate to explore opportunities to strengthen compliance with food law. We urge food businesses to ensure they are meeting their food safety legal requirements and they should also take full advantage of the information and support provided on our website www.fsai.ie“.

This targeted audit was carried out between August 2021 and March 2022.

First Case Of Monkeypox Virus Confirmed In Irish Republic.

Following the first case of the monkeypox virus having been confirmed in the east of Ireland on Friday night last; The Minister for Health, Mr Stephen Donnelly, has confirmed that the HSE has secured a third-generation smallpox vaccine.
Health officials have also confirmed that a further suspected case of the virus is also being investigated and test results are eagerly being awaited.

The HSE confirm that public health teams are now following up with people who were in close contact with the known positive case and are advising them on what to do in the event that they themselves become ill.

Monkeypox is an infectious viral disease that can occur in both humans and some other animals. The disease can appear similar to chickenpox. Early symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pains, shivering, backache, and the feeling of extreme tiredness.
Lymph nodes will swell behind the ear, below the jaw, in the neck or in the groin. This is then followed by a rash that forms blisters and eventually crusts over.

The time from exposure to onset of symptoms of the virus is usually 7 to 14 days, with the duration of these symptoms lasting typically two to four weeks. Cases may be severe, especially in children, pregnant women or people with suppressed immune systems.

Some three-quarters of affected people can develop abnormal changes in tissue in the form of lesions on the palms of their hands and on the soles of their feet. More than two-thirds develop lesions in their mouth, while a third develop lesions on their genitals and one in five have lesions in their eyes.

Same begin as small flat spots, before becoming small bumps which then fill with clear fluid changing to yellow fluid, which subsequently will then burst and scab over.

Contrary to the name, Monkeys are not a main causative agent for the virus; it is believed African rodents, such as the African giant pouched rat, [Gambian pouched rat *] serve as the actual agent.

* APOPO [Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling: or in English Anti-Personnel Landmines Removal Product Development], train Gambian pouched rats to detect land mines and tuberculosis using their highly developed sense of smell.

Complications
Complications can include secondary infections, pneumonia, sepsis, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), and loss of vision following severe eye infection. If infection occurs during pregnancy, still birth or birth defects may occur. The disease may be milder in people vaccinated against smallpox in childhood.

The current standard for treatment is Tecovirimat SIGA, an antiviral that is specifically intended to treat infections with ortho poxviruses such as Cowpox, Smallpox and Monkeypox.

Tecovirimatis is approved for the treatment of monkeypox in the European Union; its benefits being considered greater than its known side effects, which are often severe headaches and nausea, which in turn affect up to 1 in 10 people.

New EPA Radon Maps Show More Homes & Workplaces At Risk From Cancer-Causing Gas

The EPA has published new radon maps for Ireland that update the radon risk assessment for the country.
170,000 homes in the country are now predicted to be at risk from radon. This is an increase of 45,000 homes from the previous estimate in 2002.
Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas, and every year in Ireland 350 new lung cancer cases are linked to exposure to radon.
You can check if your home is at risk/the level of risk of your home through the new Eircode map search on the EPA website.
The EPA urges all householders and businesses, especially those in high radon areas, to test for radon.
Testing for radon is simple and fixing a radon problem will reduce the risk to your health from this radioactive gas.

New radon maps, launched by the Environmental Protection Agency today, at the National Radon Forum, show an increased risk from radon in Ireland, with 170,000 homes now predicted to be at risk of radon exposure above the national reference level. This is an increase of 45,000 homes, from the previous estimate in 2002. The new maps update the radon risk assessment for the country and show that large parts of the country – particularly in Munster and Connaught – have been found to be at increased risk from radon. The map is based on work completed by Trinity College Dublin, Geological Survey of Ireland and the Economic and Social Research Institute alongside the EPA.

Mr Michéal Lehane, (EPA Director), speaking at today’s National Radon Forum said: “Radon is a serious public health hazard. The new maps combine thousands of radon measurements, with detailed geological information, and are a significant revision of the previous map from 2002. More importantly, the new maps make it easy for everyone to find out the radon risk in their local area using the eircode search on the EPA website. We urge people to test for radon as this is the only way of protecting you and your family from this cancer-causing gas”.

Employers too have a responsibility to ensure that their employees are protected from exposure to this radioactive gas.
Ms Yvonne Mullooly, Assistant Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), welcomed publication of the new radon maps saying:
“Employers in high radon areas are obliged to test their workplaces for radon. The new maps enable them to clearly identify where they are legally obliged to test, so allows for targeting of resources in the areas where the risk from radon is highest. The HSA will continue to support employers by providing information, and through our on-line risk assessment BeSMART tool www.BeSMART.ie.”
Radon testing is simple and inexpensive and, where necessary, reducing high radon levels in a building is also straightforward. The EPA provides a list of registered radon measurement services and publishes a list of registered contractors who offer a radon remediation service if high levels are found.
The maps are now available on the EPA’s website HERE and are searchable by Eircode and by address.

Thurles Municipal District Council Continue To Promote Unsightly Littering.

The litter scattered about Liberty Square, in Thurles this evening is, to say the very least, nothing short of being despicable and execrable, all due solely to both the quality and quantity of the litter bins provided, not to mention poor administration.

Contrary to a statement made by Thurles Municipal District Councillors (TMDC) Mr Seamus Hanafin (Cathaoirleach) and Mr Jim Ryan; latter who last weekend falsely accused their electorate of littering Liberty Square in Thurles; this weekend this same area once again remains a litter disaster area, with no effort made to correct the issue, despite knowing 26,000 hurling fans would be visiting Semple Stadium.

Yes, we noted the extra solitary blue domestic litter bin chained to a parking sign. (Not sure who made this latter effort, but we suspect it wasn’t TMDC).

When, staff are out and about tomorrow with their €15 “Grip & Grab Litter Pickers”, maybe someone might bring a spanner in their arse pocket, to correct the direction of three parking signs in the square; all of which point in the wrong direction and two of which relate to now invisible disabled spaces, outside the Ursuline Primary school building.

Perhaps someone might also remind our district administrator that over this weekend two further street lights have begun burning day & night, courtesy of Airtricity. This brings the number of 24 hour burning street lights, in Thurles town centre, to 29 in total, with 25 of these burning for well over three months.

Once again, remind me, “Why are we paying Property Tax?