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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask you ‘what the *** you think I ate?’

184 replies

AandEembarrassment · 07/10/2024 20:07

NC as very specific!!

Bought a prepacked sandwich on way home. First bite was super super salty, so thought may be there was a pocket of salt. Second bite the same but then my mouth started burning. That lasted for 20 minutes. Only had those two bites. No chilli or rocket etc in it, no chilli used by company. Chemical taste. Mouth now left with that post emulsifier taste (two hours on) but no burning.

I phoned 111 and they sent me to A&E. vitals all fine at triage so home now as nothing they can do and I’m not experiencing any symptoms. Thank goodness - didn’t fancy staying in hospital with ‘sandwich mouth’ - most embarrassing when there are people with actual problems!

But what are your best guesses about what it was? I eat black pepper, rocket and chilli and it was none of those. Tasted like a chemical rather than food. Anyone have experience of making pre-packaged sandwiches and what can go wrong please?

Never eating there again!!

OP posts:
ThisHangryPinkBalonz · 07/10/2024 21:51

My partner who works in food says all sandwiches and wraps are handmade- if you saw them made, it would put you off for life - so I'm guessing it's not cleaning product as there are no machines in the process of making the sandwich.

AandEembarrassment · 07/10/2024 21:50

Maia77 · 07/10/2024 21:49

Mind you, parmesan is very salty and it's high in histamine and can cause an allergic reaction. It might have been off too.

Oh. Could be.

OP posts:
ilovesushi · 07/10/2024 21:50

I had a similar thing once at a restaurant with a creme brulee or panna cotta or something similar in a ramekin. Really weird chemical taste which completely dried my mouth out. I sent it back but the wait staff were really young and didn't do anything. I think there was cleaning product on the dish, but god knows what. Could taste it for hours.

PuggyPuggyPuggy · 07/10/2024 21:50

"Sandwich mouth" has made me laugh! Especially in the context of a medical issue. "38-year old female, no known allergies, presenting with severe sandwich mouth. Nurse, we're going to need 50g of cucumber slices and 200 ml of whole milk, stat! "

AandEembarrassment · 07/10/2024 21:50

Hjsjshsn · 07/10/2024 21:48

When I was a teenager I found a very weird blue substance in my shop bought vegetable pastie that I heated up at home. My Dad called environmental health, in the days before email, they came and took it away. It turns out it was a melted blue plaster 🤢. Must have come off someone’s finger in the factory.

Oh dear lord. That is grim. I think I need to just make my own food from now on. 🤢

OP posts:
AandEembarrassment · 07/10/2024 21:49

BenditlikeBridget · 07/10/2024 21:46

You either ingested something poisonous or had an unexpected and reasonably severe oral allergic reaction. In either case A&E is exactly the right course of action so don’t feel stupid at ALL.

I would think it would be the council where the shop was that should test.

Thank you 🙏

OP posts:
Maia77 · 07/10/2024 21:49

Mind you, parmesan is very salty and it's high in histamine and can cause an allergic reaction. It might have been off too.

Hjsjshsn · 07/10/2024 21:48

When I was a teenager I found a very weird blue substance in my shop bought vegetable pastie that I heated up at home. My Dad called environmental health, in the days before email, they came and took it away. It turns out it was a melted blue plaster 🤢. Must have come off someone’s finger in the factory.

AandEembarrassment · 07/10/2024 21:48

LaBelleSauvage123 · 07/10/2024 21:43

The chemical after taste definitely - it was really bitter. I don’t remember saltiness though.

Thanks. If I ever get an answer I’ll update!

OP posts:
BenditlikeBridget · 07/10/2024 21:46

You either ingested something poisonous or had an unexpected and reasonably severe oral allergic reaction. In either case A&E is exactly the right course of action so don’t feel stupid at ALL.

I would think it would be the council where the shop was that should test.

ClairDeLaLune · 07/10/2024 21:45

reallifeboogie · 07/10/2024 21:10

Why not just use your brain and not AI? A&E is accident and emergency. You had neither of those. You didn't feel unwell. Just a burning mouth from something you ate.

Are you this nasty in real life? If so, do you have no friends and wonder why? OP could’ve ingested poison. She did the right thing.

LaBelleSauvage123 · 07/10/2024 21:43

AandEembarrassment · 07/10/2024 21:27

How odd. I’ve just checked the website and it does have pine nuts. But what about the intense salty taste. Chemical after taste. Does that sound right?

The chemical after taste definitely - it was really bitter. I don’t remember saltiness though.

AandEembarrassment · 07/10/2024 21:42

Allthehorsesintheworld · 07/10/2024 21:41

you don’t test it. Environmental health does.
Contact them asap.

I live in a different county to the shop. Would I contact my council or the council where the shop is?

OP posts:
Allthehorsesintheworld · 07/10/2024 21:41

AandEembarrassment · 07/10/2024 20:51

Yes. Put it in the freezer. So where would I get it tested? I would like to know what it was.

you don’t test it. Environmental health does.
Contact them asap.

stayathomegardener · 07/10/2024 21:40

I've found nettles in bagged salads before...

Maia77 · 07/10/2024 21:39

AandEembarrassment · 07/10/2024 21:36

No way?! Seriously? I’ll have to get one to double check. Mind you that doesn’t explain the intense salty flavour.

Yes, you're right, so it probably not that.
People who are allergic to latex are usually also allergic to avocado.

mathanxiety · 07/10/2024 21:38

reallifeboogie · 07/10/2024 21:10

Why not just use your brain and not AI? A&E is accident and emergency. You had neither of those. You didn't feel unwell. Just a burning mouth from something you ate.

Don't be silly - a burning mouth from something she bought and ate is exactly what A&E is for.

Hmm
AandEembarrassment · 07/10/2024 21:38

BigSmallFigBall · 07/10/2024 21:30

I think it's a cleaning product too. I once licked some dishwasher detergent which had stuck to the plate and I mistakenly thought was food 🙈

You were definitely right to get checked out. It could have been a dangerous chemical contamination. All sorts happens in food manufacturing/production

Thanks. 🙏

OP posts:
AandEembarrassment · 07/10/2024 21:37

ahemfem · 07/10/2024 21:36

Yes. Its similar to the pine nut thing

Wow. Every day is a school day.

The kicker is I’d bought it to be healthy rather than just grab toast at home.

OP posts:
AandEembarrassment · 07/10/2024 21:36

Maia77 · 07/10/2024 21:33

People can develop avocado allergy - burning, itchy mouth...

No way?! Seriously? I’ll have to get one to double check. Mind you that doesn’t explain the intense salty flavour.

OP posts:
ahemfem · 07/10/2024 21:36

Maia77 · 07/10/2024 21:33

People can develop avocado allergy - burning, itchy mouth...

Yes. Its similar to the pine nut thing

AandEembarrassment · 07/10/2024 21:35

Exasperateddonut · 07/10/2024 21:34

It might have been a bit of weed in with the salad. As in garden weeds not the cannabis type. I saw on an online foraging group that someone got a piece of poisonous weed in their salad bag. I can’t remember exactly what it was but it had definitely been picked with the salad leaves.

Oh crikey. I’d not considered that. But would that be so intensely salty?

OP posts:
AandEembarrassment · 07/10/2024 21:34

FatOaf · 07/10/2024 21:31

Burning and salty sounds like sodium hydroxide (caustic soda). I speak as someone who got a mouthful of 1-molar sodium hydroxide solution while mouth-pipetting in a chemistry lab in 1982, which was strictly against rules even that long ago.

Oh really? That sounds horrible. How would it have got there? 😬

OP posts:
Exasperateddonut · 07/10/2024 21:34

It might have been a bit of weed in with the salad. As in garden weeds not the cannabis type. I saw on an online foraging group that someone got a piece of poisonous weed in their salad bag. I can’t remember exactly what it was but it had definitely been picked with the salad leaves.

Maia77 · 07/10/2024 21:33

People can develop avocado allergy - burning, itchy mouth...