Some 9,882 complaints and queries were handled by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland’s (FSAI) advice line in 2025.
Of these, 6,135 were complaints from consumers, with 33% of complaints relating to unfit food and 28% to poor hygiene standards, the FSAI said.
There was a 23% increase in consumer complaints compared with 2024, which had 4,996 complaints, reflecting an upward trend over the past decade.
The FSAI said that all complaints received in 2025 were followed up and investigated by food inspectors throughout the country.
Common complaints
The most frequently reported complaint last year was unfit food – food that is not safe to eat or includes contamination with a foreign object.
Commonly reported foreign objects in food included plastic, a battery, insect and caterpillar, slug and fingernail.
Examples of some of the complaints include a fingernail found in a cake, a staple found in an Indian meal, a battery found in a pack of almonds, a fly floating in a milk bottle, a slug in a noodle dish and a live moth in a bag of salad.
Poor hygiene
The second-most frequently reported category related to poor hygiene standards.
Common complaints included rodents spotted in food businesses, staff not wearing appropriate clothing, poor personal hygiene with staff not changing gloves often enough, staff not washing hands, staff smoking in their aprons and food not being stored correctly, with fridges and freezers not cold enough.
The third-most frequently reported category related to reports of suspected food poisoning making up 26% of the total complaints in 2025. This was a decrease from 29% in 2024.
Breakdown of all complaints
FSAI chief executive Greg Dempsey stressed the importance of making complaints to the FSAI, so that any food safety issues can be addressed.
“We greatly value the contribution of consumers in bringing potential issues to our attention, as these reports provide essential information that complements the work of environmental health officers, veterinary and agricultural inspectors, sea-fisheries officers and laboratory services," Dempsey said.
“While routine inspections and food sampling programmes remain a core part of our regulatory activity, complaints allow us to quickly identify and respond to specific risks, ensuring that any potential threats to food safety are addressed without delay.
“The continued increase in engagement reflects growing consumer awareness and confidence in reporting issues, as well as a strong expectation that high standards of food safety and hygiene are consistently maintained across the food chain.”
Advice line
The FSAI advice line also offers advice and information.
During 2025, there were 3,747 queries from people working in the food industry, including caterers, food manufacturers, retailers and others.
Popular topics included how to start a food business, food labelling information, best practice in food businesses, food safety training and several others.
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