Company suspended after refusal to allow inspectors on site

Operations at a company in Lithuania have been suspended after food agency inspectors were denied entry to the premises during an inspection.

The State Food and Veterinary Service (VMVT) reported that in August, when inspectors went to fish producer Almantika UAB, company officials would not let inspectors access the site.

Police officers were called by VMVT employees and they urged the producer to allow the planned official controls to be carried out, but company representatives still refused.

The VMVT reported that company officials said they should have been informed about the inspection.

The EU Official Control Regulation requires member states to carry out regular, unannounced risk-based official controls to detect fraudulent or deceptive practices. 

Food agency reaction
As VMVT staff could not assess the conditions of the ongoing activity, a decision was taken to stop the company’s operations.

Similar cases have been recorded in other businesses before, leading to legal proceedings.

Paulius Bušauskas, deputy director of VMVT, said it was important firms cooperated with the control authority so food safety and animal welfare can be ensured.

“If company representatives have questions about how we work, we are ready to explain and advise. However, disclosing to the entity about the planned inspection…is prohibited by the legislation of the European Union, on the basis of which we perform official controls. Only very specific and narrow exceptions are possible,” he said.

“We will not tolerate disrespectful behavior towards VMVT inspectors and we will use all means to ensure that employees are protected and feel supported while performing their functions for the state.”

Gediminas Gvazdaitis, director of the supervisory department of VMVT, said it was a unique case.

“Why is there an attempt to avoid the inspection? We cannot risk the health of consumers. The inspectors could not make sure that food safety and hygiene were observed in the company, so we had to take measures to protect against a possible threat,” he said.

“By obtaining a permit, the business undertakes to ensure the safety and quality of the manufactured product at all times, not only during the assessment. We hope for understanding and better cooperation in the future to protect consumers.”

After being suspended, a company can apply to resume operations. A restart of activity can only be approved after an official control has been performed.

Several outbreaks
Meanwhile, officials in the city of Klaipėda are investigating an outbreak that affected eight people.

Patients reported eating a tiramisu dessert at the same restaurant between Aug. 2 and 8. Seven of those sick were diagnosed with Salmonellosis.

An inspection of the restaurant did not reveal any food handling violations. The raw materials used to make the tiramisu were also checked, but no issues were found. Other samples were taken, including from a company that supplied some of the ingredients, with results pending. The restaurant was instructed to carry out cleaning and disinfection of the site and equipment.

Another outbreak in Taurage involved children at a camp site. Due to suspected gastroenteritis, several children needed hospital treatment.

The VMVT checked the company that supplied food to people at the camp. An inspection identified the risk of cross-contamination during storage and a lack of traceability for used food products.

The National Public Health Centre (NVSC) said eight people fell ill. The agency added the lack of hygiene measures by employees and children may have contributed to the spread of illness.

Finally, the Kaunas department of NVSC is conducting an epidemiological investigation into an outbreak at a hospital. The study is trying to find out if the cause of sickness in 24 people is the same and if it was caused by food eaten in the hospital. Patients are being interviewed and the results of laboratory tests on cases and food eaten are expected shortly.

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Source: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/09/company-suspended-after-refusal-to-allow-inspectors-on-site/