Some 59 Irish pubs, restaurants, cafes and production facilities were hit with enforcement orders in 2021.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland found that safety violations by food businesses almost doubled in the space of a year with numerous breaches reported.
Last year, 47 businesses were told to close, while ten prohibition orders and two improvement orders were also issued.
The FSAI found that some food safety breaches were more prevalent than others, with pest activity and infestation among the recurring problems identified.
Other common reasons for the closures included poor knowledge of basic food safety and hygiene rules, inadequate facilities for staff hygiene and cleaning within the food business, and inadequate temperature control in the storage and preparation of food.
The figures represent a marked increase on the 42 enforcement orders issued in 2020, with the increases attributed by the FSAI to the reopening of many food businesses following long periods of temporary closures during the pandemic.
Commenting on the annual figures, Dr Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI said: “Unfortunately, many of the reasons cited for enforcement orders concern the basic requirements for food safety and hygiene and should not be happening in any food business.
"There is absolutely no excuse for negligent food practices at any time. Enforcement orders are served on food businesses only when a serious risk to consumer health has been established or where there are a number of ongoing serious breaches of food legislation.
"All food businesses must recognise that they are legally bound to ensure that the food they produce is safe to eat and that they implement and support a strong food safety culture, within the business.
"Consumers have a right to safe food. Non-compliance by food businesses will not be tolerated and all breaches of food safety legislation will be dealt with the full extent of the law."
Meanwhile, new figures released on Tuesday showed that five enforcement orders were issued in December.
One closure order was served under the FSAI Act, 1998 on Express Fish and Chips in Monkstown, Co Dublin.
DFC Take Away on Dorset Street Lower in Dublin was also ordered to close under the European Union (Official Controls in Relation to Food Legislation) Regulations, 2020.
A prohibition order was also served under the FSAI Act on Ballinwillin House, a small meat manufacturing plant in Mitchelstown, Co Cork.
Elsewhere, Pinoy Sari, Sari Store Limited in Dublin and Healing with Hemp in Clones, Co Monaghan, both received prohibition orders for breaching EU regulations.
The reasons for the orders in December included: inadequate pest control system in place; food and waste storage rooms had not been adequately cleaned; significant rodent infestation; the carcass of an unknown dead animal was found on the floor of the waste and food storage room; live cockroaches found in the premises; and rat droppings observed under waste bins.
Other reasons included: encrusted food and grease on cooking equipment surfaces, handles and shelving; uncovered and overflowing bin full of dirty food packaging and food waste; premises not in a clean condition; no appropriate traceability information; operation of an unapproved food business.
