Marianne Mancusi
It's disturbing, disgusting and just plain gross and our investigation finds it happens more than you think. So what do you do if you find something strange in your food? Hank Phillippi Ryan has the Real Deal.
Josephine found dead little roaches in her rice...
Josephine
"Disgusting."
Jamie found moving mealy worms in his macaroni
Jamie
"It was gross."
Barbara found buckshot pellets peppering her corned beef.
Barbara Willis
"I absolutely didn't know what to do."
Call the manufacturer? The health department? A Lawyer? Here's the Real Deal, find a surprise inside and what you do next may make a real difference.
Caroline Smith DeWaal, Center for Science in the Public Interest
"It's critical that consumers take action if they find foreign objects in their food."
Roxanne showed us a bullet in her pot roast, Tom a rubber glove baked into his scone. Experts say step one with stuff like this is to save it, in the freezer if it's perishable, then call the state department of public health.
Paul Tierney, Mass. Dept of Public Health
"If we feel that there is a public health issue, our staff will react."
DPH records we analyzed showed three of four complaints about foreign objects are found in packaged food. DPH keeps track of them all in case a pattern emerges.
Hank Phillippi Ryan, Investigative Reporter
"So you can stop a product form being sold? You can destroy it?"Paul Tierney, Mass. Dept of Public Health
"If there's a problem, yes. Hopefully we can address it while it's still a minor problem."
Next step: because there might be more mold in the juice... Call the store or restaurant where you bought the food and then call the manufacturer. They have safeguards in place to make sure your rice doesn't have legs, but they admit that sometimes stuff can slip through.
Jeffrey Barach, Food Processor's Association
"One thing many people don't remember or appreciate is the complexity of the food system."
That's why to track down the source, companies may ask you to send box tops or id numbers and experts say to do it. But sending back the item? Experts say don't.
James Swartz, Attorney
"If somebody is seriously injured that becomes evidence in a potential lawsuit."
So can you cash in on the contamination?
Jennifer Smith's kids ate half a bag of movie candy before they noticed the bugs.
Jennifer Smith
"I called the movie theater and I said, 'you guys got bugs in your candy. Someone needs to do something about this.'"
And though lawsuits are filed, lawyers say big bucks only go to people, who are seriously hurt. And that's rare.
James Swartz, Attorney
"The reality is these types of lawsuits are quite lengthy to pursue, quite expensive to pursue."
Sometimes the company may offer a little preemptive payoff if you promise to keep quiet.
James Swartz, Attorney
"Don't do it. That's the bottom line issue, because there potentially are too many people affected by this kind of problem."
But most often we found it's an isolated incident if you report it, you'll at least get a refund plus free products or gift checks. Jamie was offered coupons though they're for a product he's still iffy about eating.
Jamie
"I thought, no way. I'm not going to eat mac and cheese again."
Finally, health officials say don't freak out. While what you found may be, lets say, unpleasant in most cases, it won't hurt you.
Paul Tierney, Mass. Dept of Public Health
"Despite the chills up the spine when you see it, it's probably not a health risk."
Of course if you think you might be injured, call your doctor right away.
For more information:
If you find a foreign object in your food, you should report it right away. You don't know whether it is an isolated incident or a widespread problem that needs to be addressed before people get sick or hurt.
First, call your town's local health department or the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to report the problem at (617) 983-6700 . If they have gotten other complaints, they can send inspectors to investigate the restaurant or food plant (if it is Massachusetts based) from which the complaint originated. If the food's origin is not local, they can refer your complaint to the appropriate state.
You can also file a complaint with the Food and Drug Administration, also known as the FDA. This government agency is responsible for ensuring foods are safe, wholesome and correctly labeled. Each state has its own FDA Complaint Coordinator. In Massachusetts and New Hampshire you can call (781) 596-7700.
The FDA does not deal with restaurant food. Refer restaurant-related complaints to your local health department instead. And if the problem involves meat or poultry, that's regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA has a hotline at 1-800-535-4555.
After reporting the problem to the appropriate government agency above, call the establishment (restaurant, store, etc.) where you purchased the food. Let them know what you found. And finally, report your finding to the manufacturer or producer of the product. Oftentimes there's a toll free number listed right on the box.
