P.E.I. bakery closed again by provincial public health inspectors over violations
HUNTER RIVER, P.E.I. — A Hunter River bakery was closed this month by provincial well being inspectors for the third time in lower than 4 years attributable to a variety of public well being violations.
By The River Bakery was permitted to reopen on March 30 solely after the operator submitted an in depth meals security plan, 10 days after inspectors pressured the proprietor to shut over seven violations of the Public Well being Act.
The identical bakery was closed for public well being violations – as soon as in 2019 and once more in September 2021 – and has been served with quite a few warning letters throughout that interval.
Tanya O’Brien, senior environmental well being officer with the P.E.I. Chief Public Well being Workplace, mentioned March 30 that the most recent issues have been recognized throughout a routine inspection on March 15.
O’Brien mentioned a major quantity of meals current was effectively past its expiry date and exhibiting “apparent indicators of contamination.”
Inspectors additionally famous the operator wasn’t storing probably hazardous meals at 4 C or decrease, that meals contact surfaces weren’t being maintained in a clear and sanitary situation and that the bakery itself wasn’t being maintained in a clear and sanitary situation.
In an interview with SaltWire Community, O’Brien mentioned well being inspectors stayed on website that day to deal with the violations.
“All imminent well being dangers have been eradicated earlier than they left the premises and intensive schooling and director was offered to the operator,” O’Brien mentioned.
Inspectors returned on March 21 and located 9 public well being violations, together with all the gadgets famous throughout the March 15 inspection. As well as, there have been considerations over hand hygiene and points with floor sanitizer.
O’Brien mentioned seeing that situations had not improved and that there have been further violations, inspectors felt pressured to behave within the curiosity of public well being.
“Mix (these components) with the inspection historical past of this premises, a choice was made to instantly shut the enterprise,’’ she mentioned.
The day after inspectors shut the doorways, the operator was hit with a well being order from the Chief Public Well being Workplace, the heaviest penalty to levy towards a meals premises operation.
The operator submitted an in depth written meals security plan on March 29. It was reviewed and authorised by inspectors, who have been again on the bakery on Wednesday morning, March 30.
“All gadgets famous within the well being order had been addressed, and the operator was permitted to reopen as of (March 30),” mentioned O’Brien.
“Our job as inspectors is to make sure we are able to present assist to (enterprise homeowners) to allow them to function their meals premises in a protected method for the general public … (however) it’s positively regarding to see repeated violations, particularly essential violations.”
– Tanya O’Brien
SaltWire Community spoke with a lady on the bakery who recognized herself because the proprietor however didn’t give her identify.
“They’re attempting to assist me,” the girl mentioned. “I wish to make the bakery safer for me and for the purchasers.”
The lady added that she has owned the bakery for about 10 years however that the final two years have been troublesome with all the warning letters and the three closures.
She mentioned the aim can be to supply the freshest meals doable and to do higher.
O’Brien mentioned well being inspectors usually verify in on meals premises one to 3 occasions per yr however, attributable to By The River Bakery’s historical past, the Hunter River enterprise confronted 11 inspections in 2021.
“Primarily based on this closure and the inspection historical past of the meals premises we are going to once more improve the frequency of inspections much more shifting ahead,” O’Brien mentioned.
The senior environmental well being officer says the Chief Public Well being Workplace does have the authority to shut a enterprise completely for repeated public well being violations, however that isn’t being thought of at this level for the bakery.
“Our job as inspectors is to make sure we are able to present assist to (enterprise homeowners) to allow them to function their meals premises in a protected method for the general public … (however) it’s positively regarding to see repeated violations, particularly essential violations.”
Dave Stewart is a reporter with the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island.
