Ridiculously worried, found metal in takeaway

[Metalinmydinner]

We’ve been regulars at local takeaway for years. Always a 5* hygiene rating and great reviews, well used by our neighbours and friends too.

Anyway, as I was nearing the end of my meal, I discovered two tiny bits of what feels like metal/wire stuck to a bit of chicken.

I feel sick with worry. I might be overreacting to feel so concerned but I’m 14 weeks pregnant with our rainbow baby and utterly terrified anything bad could happen to them because of this.

Like I say, I found it as I was finishing the meal. I have no idea if I have eaten any more of it and terrified that I might have. It does feel tiny, and not too scratchy or sharp when I hold it in my hand.

Picture attached. I don’t know what to do and can’t rationalise. What should I do?

Sorry if AIBU wasn’t the place I was trying to post in chat but just desperate for (any) reassurance.

I can't think of how it would be dangerous, unless you ingested a huge amount. Please don't worry. What dish was it in? I'm thinking it could have been shorn from a metallic scourer cleaning the cooking vessel?

It was a Chinese chicken dish

Was it from the metal takeaway container do you think? Or perhaps part of tin. Shouldn't be in your food obviously. From a pregnancy point of view it's not something that would worry me, and I say that as someone who has had 4 miscarriages.

No, the containers are plastic and cardboard. No idea where it’s come from. It feels more like a wire.

I think this is your answer - a filament from a metal scourer. Not ideal, of course, but not going to do any harm to you or your baby.

Do you think? It was in a bent shape like a hair grip, though, until I pulled it apart into the two strips pictured

You'll be absolutely fine. That wouldn't harm your baby.

Well, you haven't eaten it, and if you've eaten something similar it will sit in your stomach until you poo it out. Not ideal but not dangerous for your baby.

I don’t think anything will happen to your baby because of this, even if your did ingest some (and surely you would have noticed if it is hard and inflexible?

IF you ingested any, I would be more concerned about it causing an obstruction or perforation in your intestines or gut. I might call 111 for this and get advice if you are very concerned.

What exactly concerns you about the baby? Ingestion of a toxic substance?

This sounds very likely. I don't think it could be harmful. You would have noticed if you had eaten any.

Your stomach is separate from your womb and you will be fine.

When you're pregnant it's easy to worry about the slightest thing.

Wishing you well with your pregnancy.

That any pieces of metal I could’ve ingested might pass through the placenta. Typing that out sounds silly but the worry feels very real right now.

Rang them and this is what the claimed it to be from.

It doesn't sound like something that could do any real harm but I'd be tempted to contact the takeaway and ask what it might be. After all, if bits of cleaning equipment - or anything else - are getting into their otherwise nice food they need to know about it. They may well be able to confirm what it is if they see the picture. If they do think it is a bit of scourer, I'd ask if they use one with cleaning chemicals in it, like brillo pads, as that isn't great. I doubt you've ingested the metal without noticing, but if you do feel unwell in the next few days, go to A & E and tell them about this.

Don't worry, OP. If you feel OK you almost certainly are OK. See all of this as double checking.

Here’s the sort of thing. If you zoom in you can see how the wire filaments are bent to loop back on themselves. I think, if one came loose, it would probably look like the thing you found. https://bidfoodcateringsupplies.co.uk/products/professional-zinccote-scourer

Honestly if it's a scourer to be used with pans and so on, it can't have anything really toxic in it because it is going to be used with food-prep items.

But I totally understand that extra worry when you're pregnant. It is fine though. But I get it.

Your body can't break
Metal down, so it cannot possibly pass through your placenta;

It's physically impossible for this to happen.

Thank you, I didn’t know and found this to be so reassuring. Sorry as it probably sounded like a ridiculous thing to say

Thank you for this. I may not even have eaten any, that might’ve been the only piece I found. Just spiralling about it and doesn’t help that I can’t just call the community midwife and ask her, as it’s so late

I think if you'd ate any of what looks like metal you'd have felt it when chewing. Even if you had, it won't harm your baby, in my opinion. It'll just make it's way, whole, through your digestive system. I panicked so much about things I ate when pregnant with my first DD. She's 6 and I have friends who still wind me up about it. But at the time I was so worried and my logical brain was on holiday.

You won't have harmed your baby. Best of luck for the rest of your pregnancy. 😊

Bless you. I can totally empathise, when I’m pregnant I panic about everything and anything. However, I think there’s anything for you to worry about here.

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

I’d be mad, wouldn’t I, to drive to Asda and buy a scourer to take it apart and check it’s the same? It would put my mind at ease if it is - and probably worry me more if it isn’t 😆

it won't.

It'll be fine.

Forget about it, honestly you're fine. Even if you had ingested any, your baby will be fine. Try to forget about it have a dessert to finish off your meal