A record number of Irish food businesses were shut down in 2012 due to health violations.

The Irish Independent reports that cockroaches, dead rats and congealed blood were some of the the reasons that a record 90 food operations were shut down this year.

Among the findings, a dead rat, which had left droppings under cooking equipment and on the freezer led to the Oriental Express on Dublin's Parnell Street being shut down on March 21. The closure order was lifted a few days later after the premises was cleaned up.

Slovakpoint food shop on Cork's Lavitt Quay was served with a closure order on October 24, after health inspectors found gnawed packaging and pest droppings on shelves and food.

Health inspectors found cobwebs, spiders and flying insects in the kitchen, service and storage areas of the Star King Pan Asian Restaurant in Galway Shopping Centre, Headford Road, which was served with a closure order on November 8.

The Independent reports that doors from the kitchen were left open directly on to a dirty yard full of chicken bones, mouldy food, pools of greasy waste water and other waste.

"The entire premises including the walk-in coldrooms, refrigeration units, freezer and dry goods store were in a filthy condition throughout," a HSE inspector wrote. The closure order was lifted on December 13 when the problems were fixed.

The Bon Marche grocery store on Phibsboro Road, Dublin 7, was served a closure order on April 10 due to a live cockroach infestation. The order was lifted on April 16 when the infestation was eradicated.

Congealed blood on a fridge and filthy cooking equipment "overflowing with liquid grease and food residue" led to Knox Street Bistro & Cafe in Ballyhaunis, Co Mayo, being served with a closure order on January 31, which was lifted on February 16 after the place was cleaned.