Popular Tipperary food business banned from selling products amid serious safety breaches

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has issued a Prohibition Order under EU food law to a popular Tipperary food business after significant failures to comply with food safety regulations were uncovered in December 2025.

The order, served by the HSE on Grown in a Garden Limited, located at The Square, Mullinahone, county Tipperary, directs that specific food products - all sea moss gel food products - produced at Dublin Herbalists, Carrick Street, Mullinahone, county Tipperary, on behalf of other brands with best before dates between 31 July 2025 and 1 May 2026 including:

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1. Sea Moss Sublime Sea Moss Gel (all flavours)
2. MossEntials Irish Sea Moss Gel (all flavours

Must;

• not be used for human consumption
• be restricted or prohibited from being placed on the market
• be withdrawn from sale (whether or not the product is on the market for sale in the State or elsewhere)
• be recalled from sale or distribution (whether or not the food is on sale or being or has been distributed for sale in the State or elsewhere)
• as appropriate in the interests of public health, is destroyed in a manner prescribed by the authorised officer not be used for human consumption, placed on the market or distributed, and must be withdrawn or destroyed in the interest of public health.

According to the order, prior to December 4, 2025, the food business operator had failed to notify the HSE of the establishment under its control at Carrick Street, Mullinahone, which carries out production, processing and distribution of food, with a view to the registration of that establishment.

Consequently, the HSE was unaware that the establishment was operating as a food business and did not have an opportunity to carry out official controls to verify compliance with food law.

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Inspectors also found a lack of HACCP-based procedures (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points), and deficiencies in ensuring compliance with required microbiological standards for products such as long and short-shelf-life sea moss gels.

With the exception of a limited number of monitoring records, which were not up-to-date, there was no evidence that the food
business operator had put in place and implemented permanent procedures based on the HACCP principles.

There was no formal identification of food safety hazards that must be prevented, eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels.
In particular it was noted that no product specifications detailing the pH or water activity (aw) of the products were available,
therefore it would not be possible to reliably identify which microbiological hazards must be prevented, eliminated or reduced
to acceptable levels. Relevant microbiological hazards may include bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium
botulinum and Vibrio spp.

Potential physical hazards (such as foreign bodies) and chemical hazards (such as Iodine, metals, pesticides, and the use of
food additives above regulated limits) had also not been identified.

In respect of sea moss gel food products produced at the establishment under its control, there was no evidence that studies in accordance with Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs had been carried out in order to investigate compliance with the microbiological criteria throughout the shelf-life of the products including:

• Long shelf-life sea moss gels containing potassium sorbate with a shelf-life of approximately 5 months.
• Short shelf-life sea moss gels which do not contain potassium sorbate with a ambient shelf-life of 23 days.

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Although microbiological certificates of analysis for single samples from a batch of long shelf-life sea moss gel produced on
April 12, 2024, and a batch of short shelf-life sea moss gel produced on February 26, 2025 were available, the following information was not available:

• Specifications for physico-chemical characteristics of the products, such as pH and water activity (aw) taking into
  account the storage and processing conditions, the possibilities for contamination and the foreseen shelf-life;
• Evidence of consultation of available scientific literature and research data regarding the growth,
  therefore it could not be determined if additional studies should have been carried out.

The microbiological certificates of analysis seen for both products were for single sample units rather than the 5 sample
units required when testing for Listeria monocytogenes.

The order took effect immediately upon inspection.