Ecuador's Arcsa closes restaurant and seizes dairy products over serious hygiene violations

The Agencia Nacional de Regulación, Control y Vigilancia Sanitaria (Arcsa) ordered the immediate closure of a food‑service establishment in El Carmen, Manabí, after an inspection uncovered severe sanitary breaches, including rusted refrigeration units, contaminated utensils, a dead rodent, larvae and flies in the kitchen area. Police and municipal authorities participated in the operation and the venue will remain shut until corrective measures are implemented.

In a separate joint operation involving Arcsa, the Ministry of Agriculture, Ganadería y Pesca (MAGP), the Internal Revenue Service and the National Police, officials inspected a dairy production plant in Guaytacama, north of Latacunga, Cotopaxi. Inspectors found labeling inconsistencies, missing expiry dates, tax filing failures and improper storage conditions. Authorities seized 805 dairy items – 584 yogurts and 221 cheeses – for laboratory testing to verify compliance with sanitary notifications before any closure decision is made.