Dead spider in loaf of bread among rising number of complaints made to Food Safety Authority

There were 4,996 complaints made to the FSAI in 2024, up from 4,395 the previous year.

That represents an increase of 13.7pc from 2023 to 2024, which the FSAI said reflected an overall upward trend over the past decade.

Unfit food – food that is not safe to eat or contaminated with a foreign object – was the most frequently reported complaint last year. A total of 1,597 complaints were made for unfit food.

Among the foreign objects commonly reported in food were plastic, insects and spiders, hairs, glass, metal and stones.

Notable complaints made to the FSAI included a large piece of rubber found in a protein bar, a dead spider in a loaf of brown bread and a piece of glass in a breast of chicken.

Other complaints included a pack of muesli containing maggots, a toothpick in a bag of chips, a metal pin found in a pack of prawns and a piece of plastic in a milkshake.

There were also complaints made over a snail found in a box of grapes, a live insect in a burrito bowl and a large piece of metal in a chocolate biscuit.

More generally, there were complaints made to the FSAI of undercooked meats, food served cold when it should be hot and foods that tasted or smelled “off”.

“We welcome consumers and food businesses contacting us via our Advice Line,” FSAI chief executive Greg Dempsey said.

People reporting inappropriate and unsafe food and practices is vitally important and is an essential component, supporting the work of the food inspectorate to ensure the highest standards and quality across the food chain.

“The year-on-year increase in complaints to the Advice Line reflects an increased awareness among consumers of the importance of food safety and also demonstrates their zero-tolerance approach when it comes to poor food safety and hygiene standards in food products and in food premises.”

Complaints for suspect food poisoning were the second most frequent, with 1,449 of these made to the FSAI.

In third were the 1,289 complaints made for poor hygiene standards, which included rodents spotted in businesses, staff not wearing appropriate clothing and staff practising poor personal hygiene like openly coughing and sneezing.

There were also complaints over staff not washing hands, and handling food and money with the same gloves.

Other categories of complaints included labelling, allergen information and unregistered food businesses.

Last year the FSAI also handled 3,600 queries from people working in the food industry on topics such as best practice, food safety training and labelling.

“Food businesses have a legal obligation to provide safe food and it is vital that food businesses ensure they adhere to the legislation at all times,” Mr Dempsey said.

"The FSAI Advice Line, supported by a comprehensive website and learning portal, are important resources for the food industry, and we encourage all food business operators to avail of these free and accessible tools.”