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

[AandEembarrassment]

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!!

I once experienced something similar with a frozen chicken
The only thing we could describe it as was chemicals
This was a good number of years ago and I cannot remember now why I did nothing at all
I do remember though that around the same time there was a number of news items about a chicken processing plant which had been found guilty of extending the shelf life by washing it in some sort of chemical solution
No help to you now but I would urge you to do as others have suggested and report this
Someone could come to serious harm
Glad you are ok

Environmental health. Your local council. Your local cllr will signpost you.

May not have been washing powder exactly, but some form of cleaning product that was used to clean the production line could have contaminated the food if it wasn’t diluted away correctly before production began that morning.

That’s a known genetic trait! Sorry that was supposed to be a reply to the coriander tasting like soap

The commercial ones are really hard - you'd absolutely know if you bit into one.

If it was a supermarket they should take the sandwich and test themselves. Otherwise yeah look at the HSE website I think you can report that way. Things do go wrong on production lines although I believe actual real humans are involved in the making of sandwiches. Perhaps a container for mayo (for example) had cleaning product left in it 🤷‍♀️ imagine one of those custom sandwich shops but on a much bigger scale. Hope you're mouth feels better soon. On a positive note a friend of mine once had terrible food poisoning, the GP had to take a sample and the HSE called them a few weeks later for details of the product because the bacteria was serious so the NHS may well sort it for you.

Years ago I knew this American woman who had the coriander tasting like soap thing, but it wasn't just that. She opined that people who liked coriander were unsophisticated rubes, who "smothered their food with that muck!" 😃

I do know that in the late 90s early 2000's, some places used to use caustic type chemical tablets to wash salad stuff with. My mate was a chef and they used to use it. He brought me half a tub home, because "it was great as an overnight loo cleaner"! It sounds like something they've sanitised something in the sandwich with and not rinsed off.

Sounds horrendous! It could be that some contaminant has got in on the production line - however, you do get people who have a grudge against their employers (or just get a kick) and introduce nasties into the food chain.

You could also talk to the Food Standards Agency.

Ammonia and nitrates are in cleaning products and also released by several foods as the break down.

If it makes you feel better, my husband once had to attend A&E after he accidentally chumped down on an indoor firework, thinking it was some sort of posh charcoal cracker.

(At a party, yes alcohol had been consumed, but it didn't help that the host had arranged the indoor fireworks on a dinner plate)

There's always one isn't there?! 😂😂😂

How are you going to go about reporting it and/or going to the hassle of getting it tested if you can't even make the effort to walk over to the fridge and take a photo of the ingredients?

I know right?!! My fridge is in the west wing and the maid had clocked off. Don’t worry my PA has sorted it out. Got her to cycle it to the council office in the rain earlier. Toodle pip chummy.

Non-update update.

thanks for all the responses. Been flat out at work so no time to respond today.

I reported it to council and got an automatic reply. I’ve heard from the shop and they have asked for more detail which I should have time to send tomorrow.

‘Sandwich mouth’ has cleared up and I’ve not grown an extra head so no serious side effects. I have eaten lots of biscuits today to soak it up. I mean, I’m sure that will help right?

Definitely @AandEembarrassment - biscuits are the well established treatment for sandwich mouth and with a case as severe as yours I’d prescribe a double helping just to be sure!

This happened to my father once with a salad apparently they wash it with like a bleach tablet and a bit had been left in the salad and he ate it.
His mouth was burning and couldn't taste anything for a bit either.

My friend has a serious aged cheese allergy and her mouth gets itchy from really aged Parmesan but she can eat the mild shaky stuff. Could it have been a massive chunk of aged cheese?

I'm so curious now...

I read this daily fail article and it's put me off pre packed sandwiches 🤮

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12408025/amp/People-just-realising-pre-packaged-sandwiches-really-theyre-vowing-never-eat-again.html

Update. There is no update. I’m a bit cross really. Sandwich provider passed to their safety team and said it would be a week. H&S at the council sent an automatic response and I’ve heard nothing since. I chased my original contact at sandwich provider yesterday to nudge.

All a bit lacklustre.

Sandwich is still in the freezer. No further side effects but would still like to know what I ate and how they will make sure it doesn’t happen again.

OP I've only read your posts but when I've had really salty food my mouth can burn. It was likely that. Especially as there were no long lasting effects.

Oh really? It was chilli type intense for 20 mins. Do you think it could just be salt? That would be good. Much better than some kind of cleaning product.

@AandEembarrassment yes, it can make my mouth feel strange. Same for vinegar etc.

I think the likelihood is it's just a bit of food as opposed to something nefarious