Portland's health department has ordered the closure of internationally renowned Boston Jerk Centre, due to poor sanitation, unhealthy practices, and the selling of uninspected meat to customers.

The facility was ordered closed on September 6 following a series of inspections carried out by officials from the Ministry of Health and Wellness in August and beyond. 

Health officials said that the closure of the facility is the only option available to them at this time, as it had failed to meet the minimum public health standards over a prolonged period. 

Chief public health officer, Lorenzo Hume, who was addressing the monthly sitting of the Portland Municipal Corporation meeting today, said that the situation at the Boston Jerk Centre facility has worsened over a period of time and that they have been monitoring the activities at the facility in regards to food safety and sanitation.

“Having exhausted all the possible options, the environmental health team carried out a series of monitoring activities over the last year and before that,” commented Humes.

“The decision was taken to advice the Medical Officer of Health in the month of August that she should close the facilities at Boston, particularly those who operate at the Jerk Center itself. As a result, the Medical Officer of Health, on September 6, closed the facility under the public health regulations.”

This is not the first time that the Boston Jerk Centre has been shut down by public health inspectors. In January 2016, the facility was ordered closed for similar breaches, including the cooking and selling of uninspected meat, lack of running water, and poor sanitation.

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