Tooth found in takeaway dish, maggots in mashed potato
A TOOTH in a takeaway dish, hair in a sandwich, maggots in mashed potato and rodent droppings in crisps were among the complaints made to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) last year.
Over 3,400 consumer complaints were handled by the FSAI advice line last year, with over a third of those relating to complaints about unfit food. Overall, complaints last year increased by 6% on 2016, with the number of complaints relating to non-display of allergen information up by more than 40%. There was also a considerable increase in complaints relating to incorrect information on food labels.
Contamination of food with foreign objects was frequently reported by consumers, which included reports of food contaminated with insects and glass, as well as other foreign objects.
Examples of complaints received included chewing gum being reported several times as being present in a number foods including sandwich wraps, scrambled egg from a breakfast buffet and in takeaway rice.
Other foreign objects found in foods were a long black hair in a sandwich, rodent droppings in a bag of crisps, a tooth in a takeaway dish, larvae in jar of beetroot, a piece of glass in a smoothie, maggots in mashed potato and a wasp in a packet of rashers.
The categories of complaints were as follows:
1,233 complaints relating to unfit food
896 complaints about hygiene standards
808 complaints about suspected food poisoning
183 complaints about incorrect information on food labelling
103 complaints on non-display of allergen information
102 other
Of those complaints regarding poor hygiene standards in food premises - rats, mice and flies being present in premises were cited.
Others included poor personal hygiene habits of staff working in the food sector.
Reports in this area cited staff wiping noses when preparing sandwiches, staff members picking up dropped food from the floor and then including the food to make a sandwich and the smell of sewerage in food premises.
All complaints received by the FSAI last year were followed up and investigated by food inspectors throughout the country.
The FSAI’s Advice Line also offers advice and information and during 2017, there were 9,576 queries from people working in the food service sector; manufacturers; retailers; researchers and consultants.
The most popular queries were regarding legislation on food labelling requirements; requests for FSAI publications, as well as information for new food businesses setting up operations.
FSAI Chief Executive Dr Pamela Byrne said: “We welcome consumers and food businesses contacting us via our Advice Line. Having people spotting and reporting inappropriate and unsafe food and practices greatly aids our work and provides us with information that we can act upon. The year on year increase in our Advice Line statistics reflect a continued trend where consumers are showing they have zero tolerance when it comes to poor food safety and hygiene standards in food products and in food premises.”
She added: “In 2017, we undertook a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of the importance and legal requirement for allergen information to be displayed and communicated accurately to consumers in food service establishments. We are seeing consumers becoming more aware and having a greater understanding of what they should expect from food establishments in Ireland.”
The FSAI Advice Line, which operates from 9am to 5pm weekdays, is manned by trained advisors and food scientists and can be reached at info@fsai.ie or through the ‘make a complaint’ section of the FSAI website. The FSAI Facebook and Twitter pages are also resources with up-to-the-minute information in relation food safety: www.facebook.com/FSAI and @FSAIinfo.