Nobody knows exactly how often foreign objects find their way into foods, but it’s much more frequent than most people would imagine.
Last night, at a well known Indian restaurant along the Geelong waterfront, a woman says she discovered a 2 cm screw as soon as she took a sip of the chef’s special lassi.
She said that she notified the waiters but they didn’t seem to care.
In Australia, investigation of food complaints is undertaken by state and territory authorities or your local council.
This is because the Food Standards Code is enforced and implemented in each state and territory by the relevant body.
Problems with food can include things like foreign material e.g. a bit of plastic in food or glass in cereal; or you might think a meal has made you sick.
What should I do if I suspect a problem?
Don’t eat the food product you are concerned about. Report the problem to the relevant local food enforcement contact and provide:
- your name, address and phone number
- the brand name, food product name and manufacturer
- the size and package type
- package codes and dates
- name and location of the store and the date you purchased it.
Remember to keep the original container or packaging and if relevant, the foreign object (e.g. metal washer that you found in the food).
Refrigerate any uneaten portion of the food.
