The watchdog investigated 47 unregistered food businesses in 2020, up nearly 150 per cent from 19 in 2019, as employees in restaurants which closed due to the pandemic brought work home with inadequate food safety processes, procedures and facilities.

Five closure orders, five compliance notices and three prohibition orders were served on unregistered/unapproved food businesses last year. Two warrants were obtained to gain access to unregistered food businesses running their business from a domestic dwelling. The investigations also resulted in 17 tonnes of unfit and/or unsafe food taken off the market in Ireland.

Dr Pamela Byrne, chief executive of the FSAI, said: “Consumers have a right to safe food and bogus operators seeking to make a quick profit at the risk of potentially making consumers sick or selling non-compliant or fraudulent foodstuffs will be pursued using the legal powers available to us.

“The vast majority of food businesses comply with their legal requirement to notify prior to operating; however, it is very concerning to see an increase in the number of unregistered food businesses found to be operating in 2020.

“There is no doubt that Covid-19 has presented many challenges for the food industry and for people working in the sector, however, this does not change the legal requirements which are in place to protect consumer health.

“All food business owners, big or small, whether trading from a business premises, in the home, from a mobile unit, food truck and/or online, must be aware of food hygiene and food safety legislation. It is totally unacceptable that some food businesses are choosing to operate outside of the law.”