The sight of traditional Slovak delicacies directly from the bač ended up in a hospital bed for several people. Veterinary inspectors discovered an illegal shack in the forests of Liptov. Hygienic conditions at the site were reminiscent of the Middle Ages, and laboratory tests confirmed dangerous bacteria in the products. is reported by the State Veterinary and Food Administration of the Slovak Republic on its website.
The case began to unravel after the Regional Office of Public Health (RÚVZ) in Liptovský Mikuláš recorded the occurrence of intestinal disease in seven people. They all had one thing in common – they consumed products in which the presence of Salmonella Schleissheim bacteria was confirmed.
Clues led to the operation of the shack, which the authorities had not known about until now. The inspectors of the Regional Veterinary and Food Administration (RVPS) only managed to find the illegal sheep breeding in the difficult-to-access forest terrain.
Inspectors went to the place on Sunday afternoon. At first, thinking that they were ordinary customers, the owner willingly sold them bryndza, zinčica and sheep’s cheese produced in a smokehouse in the middle of the forest. Only then did the inspectors prove themselves and start the official inspection. What they found is breathtaking.
Production and storage took place in a wooden hut in absolutely unsuitable conditions: the sheep’s cheese was stored in an old closet intended for clothing, the smoked cheese was just thrown about in a plastic shopping bag, the cheesecloth was in a plastic box covered with a dirty sheet, everything spoiled at a temperature of almost 23 °C and the products were freely accessible to insects and other pests.
The tools for production were not in any better condition. Dirty aluminum containers, rusty scales and dirty knives were used. The owner did wear gloves while cutting, but apparently only so he wouldn’t get his hands dirty. Water was taken directly from a nearby stream, and a wooden latrine without a door served as a toilet. In addition, municipal waste, plastic and even the remains of dangerous asbestos were lying around.
The inspectors immediately took samples. The laboratory results in the bryndza and in the cheeses unequivocally confirmed not only salmonella, but also an exceeding limit number of dangerous staphylococci. In addition to endangering public health, inspectors also found an alarming approach to animals. The sheep were grazing without any supervision and several of them were lame. The guard dogs did not have access to water, they lacked shelters and one of them was not microchipped.
The local authorities immediately banned the production and sale of all products, ordered the disposal of waste, the treatment of animals, and the owner himself must undergo examinations to see if he is a carrier of salmonella. The “operator” will not avoid a hefty fine and, according to the findings, he is most likely to face criminal prosecution. In this context, the State Veterinary and Food Administration (ŠVPS SR) strongly warns people against purchasing from unverified and “black” sources.
