Finding strands of hair, insects, stones, plastic, metal and glass in food were just some of the complaints made by consumers to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) last year.
Among the complaints were reports detailing how a consumer found a maggot in their soup and glass was found in porridge and sweet potato fries. There was also a spider found in a takeaway cocktail and a disposable glove contained in a pie, according to the complaints.
Metal was found in baked beans, and some spare ribs contained a metal screw, the complaints said.
According to the FSAI, there were also complaints about orange juice filled with beans, a piece of wood found in a container of soup, and an exploding bottle of fruit juice.
The FSAI advice line received 3,414 complaints in 2021. Sixty per cent of these related to unfit food and poor hygiene standards.
Just in excess of 600 complaints related to suspected food poisoning and 162 complaints reported unregistered food businesses.
There were 139 complaints about incorrect information on food labelling and 97 complaints about non-display of allergen information.
Increase in complaints
Overall, there was a 23 per cent increase in complaints compared with the previous year, but this was mainly due to Covid lockdowns in 2020, according to the FSAI.
All complaints were followed up and investigated by food inspectors, according to the FSAI.
The authority said that food businesses should consult its website for the most up-to-date advice on how to develop a food safety management system, how to maintain the highest hygiene standards and how to declare the presence of food allergens.
Reporting
Dr Pamela Byrne, chief executive of the FSAI, said that people reporting inappropriate and unsafe food had aided the authority’s work. “Consumers are becoming more aware and having a greater understanding of what they should expect from food businesses in Ireland.
“There has been a considerable increase in complaints regarding unfit food and poor hygiene standards and we thank the public for their increased vigilance,” she said.
The FSAI advice line is open from 10am to 4pm on weekdays and is manned by food scientists and trained advisers. It can also be reached at info@fsai.ie or through the online complaint form "make it better" on the FSAI website.