FSAI (Food Safety Authority of Ireland) Say Chicken Head Among Horrors Discovered In Food Last Year

FSAI has reported that the number of complaints they received increased significantly in 2013, with a 12% increase in complaints from consumers about either poor hygiene standards or foreign objects in foods.

FSAI received 13,269 consumer quires in 2013, 2,846 of which related to food and food premises (a figure which rose 12.5% from the previous figure in 2012) and 10, 429 requests for advice across a range of food areas (up 12.5% on 2012). Notably, only 33 calls to the FSAI related to the horse meat scandal that emerged in January 2013.

Some of the eye opening items reported by consumers included a chicken’s head in frozen chicken wings, a human tooth in a Chinese takeaway, a screw in a pasta dish, glass in a ready meal and live insects in a packet of dates.

Commenting on the statistics, Edel Smyth, Information Manager, FSAI stated that the increase in contact made to the FSAI is a positive development.

“On one hand, more food businesses are contacting us seeking to raise their food safety standards while, on the other, consumers are increasingly vigilant and aware of the need to report bad practice or experiences they’ve had where food safety has been compromised,” says Ms Smyth.

“We continue to encourage anyone who has had a bad experience in relation to poor hygiene or food safety standards to report the matter to us so that the issue can be investigated directly. Consumers are entitled to the highest standard of food safety and hygiene in every food establishment and across every food product they purchase. It is the responsibility of food businesses across the country to ensure that they provide food which does not compromise the health of anyone who eats it.”

Click here to read the full FSAI press release.