The Week In Food #41: FSAI enforcements, Kilkenny Business Awards, Global Hunger and more
Happy Sunday to you - to all of us!
Another week in the books means that we’re almost slap-bang in the middle of October. Evening walks are all of a sudden being spent eye up pumpkin carvings and Hallowe’en decorations, with a little hoarding of treats in the weekly shop to prepare for the masses descending on doorsteps at the end of the month.
Wherever you’re reading this, I hope you’re in good form and if it’s a Sunday you choose to browse these words, you’ve got a chance today to put your feet up, grab a coffee and a few minutes to yourself take a breath before the week begins all over again tomorrow.
Completely off-topic, but if you’re looking for a something to watch this week that’s not at all food-related, I’ve been tucking in to Slow Horses on Apple TV - I highly recommend its viewing.
Let’s see what’s been stirring this week…
1. September’s food safety orders
This week starts with the latest round of enforcement orders issued by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland in September, figures on Thursday showed that 16 orders were served on businesses for breaches of food safety legislation, nine of those coming by way of closure orders under the FSAI Act, a further 4 under EU regulations, along with one improvement order and a prohibition order.
Some of the reasons for the Enforcement Orders in September include a live rodent running across the floor of a food storage room; a dead rodent caught in a snap trap in a kitchen; clear evidence of a rodent attack on a bag of rice, along with bird droppings, feathers, and a dead bird present on the premises; active cockroach infestation beneath a cold service display unit storing uncovered food; inadequate procedures in place to control pests; repeated failure to cease handling raw meat in a premises which could not accommodate the safe storage.
Read more: Full list of impacted businesses and enforcement orders for September 2024
Read more: 'Lack of pest proofing very concerning' as 13 food businesses get closure orders in September
2. Safefood’s festive food survey
A new survey by Safefood has revealed that almost nine in ten adults (87%) believe promotions for Halloween and Christmas-themed foods like sweets and chocolate happen too soon.
Personally, I’d be in favour of Christmas-themed foods not hitting shop shelves until 1 November - let us get Halloween out of the way first.
Of the over 1,500 people surveyed, three in four (75%) also say these kinds of unhealthy food promotions leave them feeling annoyed, stressed and pressured.
The survey from Safefood coincides with its new campaign to build a better Food Environment by raising awareness of the unhealthy food environment, how it is potentially harmful to our health and why it needs to change.
3. Global Hunger Index published
The 19th Global Hunger Index for 2024 was published on Thursday morning this past week by Irish aid agency Concern Worldwide and German NGO Welthungerhilfe, revealing that hunger levels in the world’s poorest countries will likely remain high for another 136 years if the lack of progress made to feed the world and try to reach zero hunger stays the same.
That’s far beyond my lifetime, yours, and the next generation or two to come.
The report also states that the chances of achieving zero hunger by 2030, a goal set by UN member states in 2012, are “grim” and unlikely.
In 2023, 281.6 million people in 59 countries and territories faced crisis-level or acute food insecurity including Gaza, Sudan, Haiti and Burkina Faso, which are all countries where Concern supports the most vulnerable people.
Read more: 2024 Global Hunger Index
4. Day of action planned by RAI this Tuesday
One for the diaries this week, and with a general election looming, it may well be one to keep an eye on, a Hospitality Sector Day of Action, organised by the Restaurants Association of Ireland.
It’s set to take place this coming Tuesday with assembly at 1pm at Pepper Canister Church in Dublin 2, marching on to government buildings at Leinster House for a rally from 2pm to 4pm.
The day is open to businesses, traders and supporters of the sector and comes in the wake of Budget 2025 which saw no change in the VAT rate for the hospitality sector. With the VAT rate set to remain at 13.5% for the year ahead, the RAI’s post-budget statement had suggested that over 1,000 additional hospitality-focused businesses will shut their doors over the coming months, the event on Tuesday set to highlight the plight of cafés, bars, restaurants, hotels and more
5. Food businesses to the fore at Kilkenny Business Awards
Finally, and much closer to home for me, the finalists for the 2024 Kilkenny Business Awards have been announced.
A number of new categories were announced this year that brought an increased focus on food and hospitality in general, including a new Café, Bar and Restaurant of the Year award, Rural Tourism award and more.
In the former, congratulations to city newcomer Caffe500, a cracking Italian restaurant and pizzeria located on The Parade in the heart of Kilkenny city, along with the long-established Paris Texas on High Street and Tower and Castle on John Street.
Fennelly’s of Callan, where coffee and hyper-local food meets culture at every turn, is nominated in the Rural Tourism category.
The Taste of Kilkenny award also sees three finalists – city-based food business coach Tracie Daly, Tabú in Thomastown and The Kings Mill restaurant in Kells; while in the Hotel & Accommodation Provider of the Year category, Lyrath Estate, the Kilford Arms and Mount Juliet Estate are all in the running.
Organised by Kilkenny Chamber with VHI on board as title sponsor this year, the winners will be announced at a black-tie event on Saturday 23 November.
Read more: See all category finalists (via Instagram)
Photo: Inside The Kings Mill, Kells, Co. Kilkenny. Photos: thekingsmill.ie.
Extra reading this week…
Businesses have been displaying inaccurate food hygiene ratings, with many lying about them when challenged, an undercover BBC investigation has revealed.
Like every seemingly overnight success, Mexican food has a longer history in Ireland than we might imagine - but why is it so popular?
Every informed observer agrees that food waste and loss must be reduced if we are to feed all humans. Julian Baggini ask 'what’s stopping us'?
A family in Virginia was left amused — and a little bit confused — when they found an 84-year-old biscuit in the freezer of a recently deceased relative.
Fancy a science-y read? Food Compass 2.0 is an improved nutrient profiling system to characterise the healthfulness of foods and beverages.
5 recipes to try for the week ahead
Are you the kind of person who buys Greek yoghurt with intent, but leaves it sitting in the fridge, not sure quite what do do with it? Last night’s dinner consisted mainly of Turkish flatbreads with a variety of toppings (from tomato to garlic and olive oil, chicken to fresh-cut mozzarella) - a decent way of using Greek yoghurt.
So, here are five recipes you could try this week, all involving Greek yoghurt as a heavy staple.
Turn that plain-looking tub of Greek yoghurt into a tasty strawberry frozen yoghurt. It’ll last longer and taste twice as nice.
If you’ve got bananas starting to turn, you’re in luck. Adding Greek yohurt to your banana bread will help keep it moist and add a protein kick.
Eggs and creamy yogurt are spiced up with a chile crisp with peppery harissa in this Turkish breakfast classic.
Go all out - a spiced Middle-Eastern pumpkin and lamb spiced pizza. ‘Tis the season and all.
Take Greek yoghurt, add flour, make flatbreads.
Podcast pick of the week
There’s certainly no shortage of podcasts to pick from this week. By way of a plug, do yourself (and me) a favourite, and follow the Ken On Food podcast wherever you get yours. An audio version of this newsletter, dubbed Food In 5 Minutes also drops every Sunday morning around 7am. I’d be up early like that.
With a dinner menu that includes Brixham Mussels, wood-fired Monkfish (it was on the menu last night), Glazed Pork Jowl, some Cornish Bluefin Tuna and more, London’s Brunswick House has a lot going on.
Founder and chef Jackson Boxer joined the Good Food Podcast earlier this week for an on-location episode to talk about his culinary career, daily routines and the challenges of being a chef and father.
Take a listen here or below.
And that’s a wrap…
That’s it for another week.
Having spent the last week or so covering afternoon radio shows, I’m back to a regular routine for the week ahead and looking to open conversations with food producers. If that’s your space as you read this, and you’ve got something to push or want to shout about, drop me an email this week - ken@kenonfood.com - and let’s talk.
Until next Sunday, mind how you go!
Ken