Market stall, meat pies and flies

[Silvercatowner]

A local specialist deli-type company regularly has a stall on my local market. They sell lots of stuff, including meat pies - pasties, that sort of thing. A lot of the stuff is wrapped but the pies aren't, and as I was buying some wrapped cakes I waved three flies off the pies (they are at the front of the stall). That's grim isn't it? I'm in favour of building up one's immune system but is that a step too far??

Has anyone died in the last 5,000 years humanity has been having markets? Possibly, but not enough. But the upshot is, if you don't want to buy, don't.

Strange response, Unicorn, but I kind of get you.

Im sure if there were serious health concerns regarding flies in the UK then they would be more diligent about it but flies here are pretty harmless so its a non issue in my opinion. If you dont like it, dont buy it

This is exactly why I don’t buy from stalls that have food laid out uncovered. Flies, coughs, sneezes, children’s fingers - all over your bread, pies, cakes, sweets, olives, meat or whatever.

Watching the flies land on the dog shit as I’m poo picking the garden makes me think the OP is not being unreasonable. My DH has forever put me off buying anything unwrapped from market stalls/open displays. He calls it ‘sneeze muffins’. I was in Waitrose one day, drooling over the gorgeous cakes but walked away when I was the cloud of flies descending. Skank.

I hate this too and have given up buying unwrapped food which kinda doesnt help with plastic waste but it puts me right off.

I dont consider it a big deal. If I was going to stress about this, there would be lots of things higher in my list of priorities first. If this was a real health and safety issue, there would be legislation to prevent it. If you dont like the idea just dont buy them.

Try going on holiday to Morocco. Every meal on our trek was fly city. No one got ill. Most people are hardier than you think.

In reality your plastic wrapped factory produced food likely contains more insects and other detritus than the locally produced pies
www.businessinsider.com/foods-full-of-insects-bugs-2017-6?r=US&IR=T
www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/11581770/Hair-aphids-and-bugs-the-horrifying-stuff-we-unwittingly-eat.html

Has anyone died in the last 5,000 years humanity has been having markets?

I'm going to say yes, based on the fact I've never met a 5,000 year old...

Try going on holiday to Morocco. Every meal on our trek was fly city. No one got ill. Most people are hardier than you think.

My cousin would disagree. He ingested an internal parasite in Morocco and had the Tropical Disease people on his doorstep trying to take him to an isolation ward.

I once had a weekend away with a friend, we shared a twin bed room and the moment we arrived she proceeded to wipe down every handle, switch and surface with bleach wipes. Then we went out to a market and she bought something unwrapped to eat from a fly covered stall! I couldn’t really understand that! The flies put me off so I’m with you OP.

If I saw it I'd be put off but if the eye doesn't see...

You might not die from it but I still never buy anything like that, same with the open bakery items in the supermarket.

My cousin would disagree.

@Cherrysoup How could your cousin disagree? That was pinkdelight's experience..unless you cousin was there and witnessed everyone being sick, its a bit ridiculous to assume that other people have the same immune system or bad luck as your cousin