Or is Ocado?

[Hoppinggreen]

I will start by saying that I'm not a fanatical meat washer or even particularly paranoid about germs but I'm now doubting my own ( admittedly lax) standards!!
One thing I always do is keep cooked meat and raw meat separate, even in their packaging and when shopping I pack raw meat on its own with nothing else. They go on different shelves in the fridge too
My Ocado delivery came this morning and there was cooked and raw meat in a bag together, actually 2 bags were like this. The packaging generally was a bit odd - in one bag was tomatoes, raw chicken, ham and a tin of chickpeas ( do want you can with that Ainsley Harriott) and in another cooked chicken and raw mince.
I'm not sure if I've just not noticed before or it's never happened but I think I would have as it's something I'm careful of.
Anyway, I rang Ocado to be told that their " food scientists" have researched This and it's not an issue at all. I'm obviously not the first person to ask as she had the answer ready.
So wise mumsnetters - is it safe to stick a packet of ham on top of a sealed pack of raw chicken? I thought I knew the answer but have Ocado " food scientists" proved me wrong??

If they're all sealed packets I'd say the risk was minimal.

If the chicken breasts were in a plastic container with a cellophane lid I don't see the problem.

Sealed is fine.

So everything is in fully sealed packaging?
What is the problem?

I phoned them about this a few months ago and got told that the packaging was such that there was no cross contamination possible. But it was said in such a patronising way that I haven't ordered from them since!

I think I just had it my head you shouldn't do it but if I'm wrong then that's fine
I have a vague memory of reading something about salmonella on the outside of chicken packaging but I could have imagined that.

chickens always leak, I'd be ok with it being.good with other securely packed stuff but not the veg, eugh!

I don't like it. The amount of times I have had to get things refunded due to spillages or damaged food because of their poor packing. It puts me off them.

I wouldn't be happy with it whatever they say. They're probably assuming there's no leakage, no tears in the packaging and that the packaging is clean. All I know is that my high street butcher always packs raw separate from coked. Why take the risk?

Nb IME Ocado always pack in this random fashion, just as Sainsbury's pack one item per bag in a different form of madness .

I never pack things separately - it didn't occur to me to. I'm sure you'll be fine.

Nb IME Ocado always pack in this random fashion

So do tescos!

Order 3 bottles of the same wine. Find one in with some fresh veg and dried pasta. Another one in with cereal and some tins and some bathroom products. Final wine in with some fruit and more cereal and curry sauce jars.

I never think to separate sealed meat and veg either.

Livin' life on the edge here.

My local supermarket actually has little signs up at all the checkouts advising customers to pack raw meat separately, so they clearly think it's advisable to do that.

I'm with you, OP, I wouldn't like my shopping to be delivered packed like that, and I always separate raw meat from everything else both in my shopping bags & in the fridge.

My Tesco order comes with raw meat in one carrier bag - the only thing bagged other than the subs. It's weird how different supermarkets do things differently. I personally wouldn't mix packaged raw and cooked meats. I've picked up slimy packaging before.

Yes Alpaca but have their " food scientists" banned it????!!!

I've had raw meat packages leak slightly too many times to be happy about that to be honest. Minimal risk but easy to minimise it further surely!

Oh and you should stand firm on a refund. My complaint with Ocado packing is they frequently pack cleaning chemicals with fruit and veg. Every time I've complained I've had an abject apology, told this against their own rules, and a refund for that bag worth of goods.

Can you not leave a note when you order online e.g. in the delivery instructions? To pack those items seperate from each other? Just a thought!

No idea Hoppinggreen, maybe I should ask them next time I'm in!

I worked in a supermarket as a teenager. We were definitely told not to pack raw meat with anything else. Cleaning products should also be separate from everything else.

Plymouth council agree with us: www.plymouth.gov.uk/ttfoodsafety

As do the Safefood group in Ireland:
www.safefood.eu/publications/consumer-information/cooking-meat-safely.aspx

I am quite shocked!

This is why I don't use online shopping for anything other than tins and packets.

Sealed packs like bacon and mince which are a pita to get into when using wouldn't bother me too much but a fresh chicken has packaging which is very easy to rip would definitely bother me if it was in with cooked meat or veg.

I always pack raw meat together and cleaning things only ever go together or in with tins incase of leaks.

Its common sense to keep raw mea away from other food when packing shopping and its supposed to be kept on the bottom shelf of fridges incase it leaks so that it doesn't get on cooked food.

It all sits together in the trolley beforehand, so I don't see the point of being too anal about it.

Doubt I would get a refund, the lady clearly thought I was a fruit loop for even phoning about it!!

weeeeelllll

in my ocado order last week, I had raw meat mixed with other stuff too. Never been a problem, except this time, a packet of mince had burst, so raw meat and blood over lots of other stuff, meaning a hefty refund from ocado, and a shortage of things I needed.

to be fair, they refunded without a quibble, but it was annoying.

it wouldnt have (and hasn't, in the past) bothered me when all sealed packaging is intact, though.

Well I've just decided not to use them again for the same reason. Raw chicken and lose salad veg in the same bag? No thanks!