‘What’s that smell?’: Man’s shocking ALDI rice discovery makes his stomach turn
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Content warning: The article contains graphic content and image, which may be unsettling for readers. Discretion is advised.
Australians have come to appreciate the value and convenience that ALDI brings to our shopping experience.
With its array of affordable products, ALDI has become a staple for many households, particularly for those of us who are always on the lookout for a good bargain.
However, a recent incident involving an ALDI product has left one customer with a rather unsavoury experience that's enough to make anyone's stomach churn.
Richard Ellis, a resident of Keilor Downs, Victoria, was horrified when he encountered something in a packet of Imperial Grain Brown Wholegrain Jasmine Rice purchased from his local ALDI store.
The discovery was not only shocking but also brought about a level of disgust that's hard to shake off.
'I feel like I'm going to throw up just talking about it,' Ellis said, recounting the distressing event.
The rice, which had been sitting in his cupboard since December, was meant to be a simple meal for 7 January.
But as the microwave timer beeped and the door swung open, an odious scent wafted through the house, signalling something terribly amiss.
'I opened the door of the microwave and thought: “What is that smell?”’ Ellis recalled.
The source of the stench was soon revealed when he opened the packet and found a dark, rodent-shaped lump caked into the rice.
'I spread out all the rice and had a look, and I couldn't believe it, it looked like a mouse. It had an eye in it, fur, a head,' he said, detailing the gruesome find.
‘It stunk up the whole place. I had to throw the microwave out.’
The smell was so overpowering that it permeated the entire house, leaving a 'dead animal smell' that necessitated airing out every room.
Ellis said the mystery object was as long as a tablespoon, and he had been put off rice since the incident.
However, his concern extends beyond his own experience.
'What if a little old lady with no sense of smell came across this?' he pondered, highlighting the potential risk to others.
‘It's just not on. They've got like 400 rice flavours, and I just happened to get the one with the mouse in it.’
In an attempt to address the issue, Ellis returned the offending item to ALDI.
‘They offered to give me my $1.74, but I don't want the money, all I care about is finding out what it is,’ he said.
‘I posted it on Facebook and tagged every ALDI I could find and tried to message them on Instagram, but they haven't gotten back to me.’
An ALDI spokesperson said a complaint should be made through its help centre.
‘We encourage any customer to give feedback to ALDI directly via the help centre so we can investigate the allegation,’ they said.
The incident has sparked a wave of concern among other ALDI customers, with some sharing their own unsettling experiences with the same brand of rice.
‘Yuck, I'll be throwing mine out,’ one said.
‘I'd be letting Food Standards Australia and New Zealand know, as well as ALDI Australia. That could be a wider contamination issue,’ another added.
Others asked if the object was mould.
‘We had this in our packet, too, but I thought it was mould. How do you know it was a mouse?’ one asked
It's worth noting that Imperial Grain Microwave Rice, produced in Thailand and a registered trademark of ALDI, has previously faced recalls due to the 'potential growth of mould that may cause illness if consumed’.
In a similar story, a Coles customer took to social media to share their disturbing find inside a tin of chickpeas.
What did they find? Read more about the story here.
Have you ever had a similar experience with a grocery item? How did you handle it, and what was the outcome? Share your stories with us in the comments below.
Australians have come to appreciate the value and convenience that ALDI brings to our shopping experience.
With its array of affordable products, ALDI has become a staple for many households, particularly for those of us who are always on the lookout for a good bargain.
However, a recent incident involving an ALDI product has left one customer with a rather unsavoury experience that's enough to make anyone's stomach churn.
Richard Ellis, a resident of Keilor Downs, Victoria, was horrified when he encountered something in a packet of Imperial Grain Brown Wholegrain Jasmine Rice purchased from his local ALDI store.
The discovery was not only shocking but also brought about a level of disgust that's hard to shake off.
Richard Ellis found something in his Imperial Grain Brown Wholegrain Jasmine Rice. Credit: Reddit
'I feel like I'm going to throw up just talking about it,' Ellis said, recounting the distressing event.
The rice, which had been sitting in his cupboard since December, was meant to be a simple meal for 7 January.
But as the microwave timer beeped and the door swung open, an odious scent wafted through the house, signalling something terribly amiss.
'I opened the door of the microwave and thought: “What is that smell?”’ Ellis recalled.
The source of the stench was soon revealed when he opened the packet and found a dark, rodent-shaped lump caked into the rice.
'I spread out all the rice and had a look, and I couldn't believe it, it looked like a mouse. It had an eye in it, fur, a head,' he said, detailing the gruesome find.
‘It stunk up the whole place. I had to throw the microwave out.’
The smell was so overpowering that it permeated the entire house, leaving a 'dead animal smell' that necessitated airing out every room.
Ellis said the mystery object was as long as a tablespoon, and he had been put off rice since the incident.
Richard Ellis found what seemed to be a mouse inside a packet of rice. Credit: Richard Ellis
However, his concern extends beyond his own experience.
'What if a little old lady with no sense of smell came across this?' he pondered, highlighting the potential risk to others.
‘It's just not on. They've got like 400 rice flavours, and I just happened to get the one with the mouse in it.’
In an attempt to address the issue, Ellis returned the offending item to ALDI.
‘They offered to give me my $1.74, but I don't want the money, all I care about is finding out what it is,’ he said.
‘I posted it on Facebook and tagged every ALDI I could find and tried to message them on Instagram, but they haven't gotten back to me.’
An ALDI spokesperson said a complaint should be made through its help centre.
‘We encourage any customer to give feedback to ALDI directly via the help centre so we can investigate the allegation,’ they said.
The incident has sparked a wave of concern among other ALDI customers, with some sharing their own unsettling experiences with the same brand of rice.
‘Yuck, I'll be throwing mine out,’ one said.
‘I'd be letting Food Standards Australia and New Zealand know, as well as ALDI Australia. That could be a wider contamination issue,’ another added.
Others asked if the object was mould.
‘We had this in our packet, too, but I thought it was mould. How do you know it was a mouse?’ one asked
It's worth noting that Imperial Grain Microwave Rice, produced in Thailand and a registered trademark of ALDI, has previously faced recalls due to the 'potential growth of mould that may cause illness if consumed’.
In a similar story, a Coles customer took to social media to share their disturbing find inside a tin of chickpeas.
What did they find? Read more about the story here.
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