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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think this is disgusting?

29 replies

disgustedmummy · 08/08/2011 21:27

I was batch cooking for my baby, making barley pot. This requires chopped tomatoes so I used a tin of tesco's tomatoes. So far, so good. Put all the ingredients in and was about to leave it to simmer when I saw something odd looking floating. I took this out and rinsed it off in the sink and it appears to be a peace of meat.

I am horrified by this as 1) me and my daughter are vegetarian, and 2) even if we weren't you don't expect/want to find meat in a tin of chopped tomatoes. It could be mouse/rat/who knows.

I am disgusted and massively annoyed at having cooked a whole meal for it to be wasted (I was brought up to never waste food), also I am worried that I might not have found it and given this to my baby unknowingly. Other people may also be buying contaminated tins too.

My question is what to do? Are other tins contaminated?

The tin is own brand tesco chopped tomatoes in tomato juice and is labelled as suitable for vegetarians!!!

OP posts:

SaffronCake · 08/08/2011 21:31

Vegetarianism might complicate the issue a bit for you so let me clear it up from an omnivorous point of view...

YADNBU!!!!

It's disgusting food hygeine and the whole processing plant should be subject to an Environmental Health review immediately. Contact Consumer Direct at the earliest opportunity (they're the public facing arm of Trading Standards).

InstantAtom · 08/08/2011 21:38

Meat or not, it's an unwanted object in your food. YANBU.

Pandsbear · 08/08/2011 21:44

No YANBU, it's not supposed to be there. How on earth did it get there?! Let Tesco know.

As an aside, a couple of weeks ago we opened a can of the Tesco tinned tomatoes...only to find there were no actual tomatoes in the tin- only juice.

MadamDeathstare · 08/08/2011 21:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

mummytowillow · 08/08/2011 22:01

Put it in a bag and send it recorded delivery to customer services, I work for a well known store with a 'food hall' and that would be taken very seriously!

Especially if you tell them your veggie!

thisisyesterday · 08/08/2011 22:07

do NOT send it to Tesco.

please. don't.

they will "lose" it. or claim it's nothing. or just ignore you.

send it to environmental health or FSA... ring them both in the morning.

Original poster

disgustedmummy · 08/08/2011 22:15

Called tesco up and only there online delivery service was open. The lady was very nice but said complaints aren't their department. Offered to put me through to the store.. but that is closed due to rioting. Now I'm more scared about the rioting. I live alone in my flat with my baby on a main road, near, but not where there is trouble currently. Am going to go in and stockpile food tomorrow. Really worried now.

OP posts:

blackeyedsusan · 08/08/2011 22:25

that is really disgusting. complain to enviromental health.

how are you doing? hope that you are ok.

squeakytoy · 08/08/2011 22:46

what other ingredients did you put in? could it have come from anywhere else?

(you have checked all your fingers are still intact I hope)

joric · 08/08/2011 22:54

Yuck.

Take a list of wasted ingredients back to Tesco - all labels, plastic box with food in it and offending object. Plonk the lot on the desk at customer service and ask them (in an upset/ aghast tone of voice) to replace entire meal!!!

I would!

CubiksRube · 08/08/2011 22:57

We once found a snail shell (odd!) in a jar of newly opened jam. Tesco.

Took it back, complained and got a £50 voucher and what felt like a sincere apology.

disgustedmummy, you're lucky you found it, so no harm done at all, yes? Just go instore when they open, and make a bit of a fuss.

Original poster

disgustedmummy · 08/08/2011 23:00

squeakytoy definitely no other source - veggie flat here.

more scared about riot reports 10 minutes walk from here :(

OP posts:

joric · 08/08/2011 23:08

Dont worry about it tonight disgusted - wait and see how things are tomorrow - maybe just go to local shop in AM if things not good :)
Tesco complaint can wait!

pengymum · 08/08/2011 23:31

snail shell in jam is not odd actually - probably mr snail was chomping away on the fruit when it was picked and not washed off properly. Wouldn't be much of mr snail left apart from the shell after being boiled up into jam...

LordOfTheFlies · 08/08/2011 23:53

Personally, speaking as someone who has been vegetarian for 31 years:

Would I take it back to Tescos and/or complain to Environmental Health ( or FSA) -Yes.

Would I eat the food having taken out the offending item- Yes. It seems a waste as you say to throw out the food. You are not eating the 'meat piece' or whatever it is.
If the food is cooked properly you should be fine.

Original poster

disgustedmummy · 08/08/2011 23:57

Lordoftheflies this is food for my baby and if this is vermin in then there is a risk of leptospirosis (Weil's Disease). So not I will not be giving it to her. I agree that it is a huge waste which I hate to do but I will not risk my baby's health. I have no idea what else the food is contaminated with.

OP posts:

LordOfTheFlies · 09/08/2011 00:06

disgusted - you are right not to risk your daughters stomach.
Is Weils Disease spread by rat pee? (If that's the one I'm thinking of)

How big is the piece?Are there any bones/fur in it? To identify it.

BTW there was a report a few years back of a man who ate baked beans from a tin and found a mouse. And someone had a mouse baked into a loaf.

posterofawolef · 09/08/2011 00:15

That is truly gross. complain to everyone.

Hope you are ok and those thug looters stay away.

Original poster

disgustedmummy · 09/08/2011 00:52

No bones or fur. Looks vaguely like beef.. but I don't eat meat so have no idea really. Size - about the size of a large grape.

I am hoping the thugs don't come here. I've been hearing sirens all night and am shot scared. So many people I know have been directly effected, its very sad.

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sherbertdipdab · 09/08/2011 09:26

hope your night went ok disgusted, must be very scary being in the middle of things atm.

also hope you get the chance to report the meat in your tommys :(

Original poster

disgustedmummy · 09/08/2011 11:53

thank you sherbert.

thankfully nothing on my road as yet. I went out today and it is business as usual which is reassuring.

An update on the tomato situation. I went into the store with the tin (offending meat is in my freezer). They refunded me the tin.. a whole 33p (!) and said that it will be investigated. I do feel a little disappointed that they said it could be up to 6 weeks for the offending tins to be removed from the shelves.. that's IF they do decide to remove them. So in the meantime please do not buy any tins of tesco value chopped tomatoes as who knows what is in them. I am feeling a bit miffed that they didn't take me more seriously. I will send the meat to trading standards and have taken photos.

OP posts:

ElsieMc · 09/08/2011 12:00

Tesco never deal with disgusting issues like these properly. I returned a green lamb joint, they told me I would hear within six weeks and that was about two years ago. Go over their heads.

I sometimes think the problem is with staff training. I took some choc muffins back to Morrisons at weekend as they had added wasp; sealed in and flying around. Yuk. The customer service lady's response was to scream and give me back £1.49!

Original poster

disgustedmummy · 09/08/2011 15:55

My girl is having her afternoon nap so I'm going to try getting hold of trading standards to give them the meat. Any idea how to do this?

ElsieMc, I agree, the cheek of supermarkets is truly shocking. I'm so annoyed that they thought refunding me 33p would resolve this. I have a whole pot of veg which is ruined, a kitchen to disinfect, and an evening I wasted cooking.

Don't buy any tesco value tinned tomatoes!

OP posts:

worldgonecrazy · 09/08/2011 15:59

I would go to EH or FSA. Do not take it back to Tesco. I did this when I found some chicken in a Subway and they conveniently told me I was wrong, it was processed soya (not even an ingredient of what I had) and that there was no problem.

Original poster

disgustedmummy · 09/08/2011 16:10

I've spoken to trading standards and they said write to Tesco about the wasted food, and they are referring the public health issue to local trading standards who will contact me.

Meat is still in my freezer, hoping trading standards will want it, because I sure don't want it here!

OP posts:

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