Ireland's food safety watchdog received 30 complaints A WEEK about coronavirus in March and April, Dublin Live can reveal.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland fielded 170 calls in six weeks from consumers who were worried about Covid-19 related issues in food premises and products around the country.
Calls about the killer bug made up 60% of the 295 complaints logged between 1st March and 20th April.
The news comes less than two weeks after the government announced a €4 billion recovery fund to make capital and credit available to help businesses recover post Covid-19.
However, Fianna Fail’s business spokesman Robert Troy said hospitality industry needs support now to survive.
He told Dublin Live: “There are additional requirements now in terms of social distancing, gloves and how you handle and disperse food and some businesses may need additional supports to respond to the challenge of adopting a new model of trade.
“Food premises need to invest in things like PPE gear and Perspex screens to provide a shield between staff and customers.
He added: “That’s why it’s important that the state supports announced two weeks would be accelerated so that people could get access to these funds to help them to adapt to the realities of conducting business today.”
Overall, complaints were down 38% on the same period in 2019 as the lockdown forced most food outlets around Ireland to close their doors.
Fears about hygiene standards in hospitality businesses were top of the list, making up 46% of complaints (137) in the six-week period.
During the same six weeks in 2019, unfit food was the top category of complaint with hygiene standards making up just 33% of queries.
Our exclusive figures also reveal that cases of food fraud are on course to reach a four-year high in 2020.
The FSAI looks set to deal with an estimated 60 food fraud cases this year, with 20 investigations launched in Q1 alone.
Last year saw 52 food fraud investigations while there were 47 in 2018 and 37 in 2017.
To date in 2020, seven probes have related to non-compliant labelling while five concerned food products being sold without proper regulation.
Three investigations related to traceability of products of animal origin and two concerned illegal animal slaughter.
There has also been one investigation of illicit alcohol and one relating to non-compliant supplements.
One whistleblower has made a protected disclosure this year about wrongdoing in a food business in a case not related to Covid-19.
