Examples of Common Food Complaints
The following are typical food complaints together with a short explanation and suggestions for the most suitable course of action. If you require further advice, please contact us using the details provided on the right.
- Bakery Char: Bread and cakes may contain bits of overcooked dough that has flaked off the bakery tins. It is not necessarily an indicator of poor hygiene, although they maybe mistaken for rodent droppings. These are black and a regular torpedo shape, while bakery char is blackish and comes in uneven shapes.
- Carbonised Grease: The machinery used to produce bread and cakes is lubricated with a non-toxic vegetable oil. Occasionally some oil may become incorporated into dough giving areas of the product a grey/greasy appearance.
Advice: In both cases no public health risk and we advise you contact the manufacturer or retailer.
- Bloom: Chocolate may develop a light coloured bloom if stored at too high a temperature. It is not mould but is due to fat separation. It is not harmful.
- Crystals: Large crystals may form in confectionery and may be mistaken for glass. The crystals will dissolve in warm water.
Advice: No public health risk - return to retailer.
- Insects: Dried products such as flour, sugar and pulses may contain small insects such as psocids (book lice). These do not carry disease, but they eat through the paper of the packet. They breed very quickly in warm dark, humid conditions, and so spread into uncontaminated food very quickly.
Advice: No public health risks - throw out all affected food, clean cupboards with a weak bleach solution and dry thoroughly. Store new dried goods in airtight containers, ensure good ventilation in kitchen
- Luminous marine bacteria: Luminous bacteria can sometimes be found on seafood. Crabmeat, cooked shrimp and simulated seafood products made from surimi are the most common seafood associated with luminescence or glowing. When seafood glows it means that luminous bacteria are present. This suggests that the seafood was held for a time at a temperature that bacteria could grow. It does not mean the seafood is unsafe or of low quality. There are no reports of illness from luminous marine bacteria growing on seafood.
Advice: No public health risk - return to retailer/manufacturer.
- Codworm: White fish such as Cod or Haddock may be infested with a small, round brownish yellow worm. These are found in the flesh. They are killed by cooking and are harmless to humans. The affected parts of the fish are usually cut away, but some may be overlooked.
Advice: No public health risk - contact manufacturer.
- Skin, bone, etc: Products made from meat and/or poultry may contain small bones or skin or parts of blood vessels. These are unsightly but not a health risk as they are normal parts of the original animal.
Advice: No public health risk - contact manufacturer.
- Insects: Occasionally small grubs may be discovered in canned vegetables. These are commonly found in sweetcorn and tomatoes. The grubs are in fact the larvae of a moth. They live inside the kernel/tomato and so are impossible to see before processing. They are killed and sterilised by the canning process. As the use of pesticides decreases, the incidence of these pests will increase.
- Wasps & Fruit Flies: These are common in tins of fruit. They are naturally associated with ripe fruit and do not carry disease.
Advice: For above cases no public health risk - contact manufacturer.
- Struvite: Certain naturally occurring elements in fish may develop into hard crystals during the canning process. These crystals may be mistaken for glass fragments and are called struvite. It is not harmful and will be broken down by stomach acids if swallowed. It is especially common in tinned salmon. Struvite crystals will be dissolved if placed in vinegar and gently heated…glass will not.
Advice: No public health risk - contact manufacturer if struvite, Environmental Health if glass.
- Mould: Dented, damaged, or incorrectly processed tins may allow mould growth to occur. This could indicate an error in production or storage.
Advice: Possible public health risk - contact Environmental Health.
- Stones, soil & slugs: Fruit and vegetables commonly have soil, stones or small slugs adhering to them. This is quite normal as they originate in the soil.
Advice: No public health risk - wash fruit and veg thoroughly
- Greenfly: Salad vegetables may have green fly attached, especially lettuce. This is becoming increasingly common as the use of pesticides decreases. Greenfly are difficult to wash off and they are not harmful. In fact they demonstrate that the salad is fresh.
Advice: No public health risk - no action required, wash thoroughly.
- Mould growth: will naturally occur when fruit and vegetables become damaged and bruised. This will be minimised if the buyer checks the produce before purchase.
Advice: No public health risk - no action required, dispose of damaged items.
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