ALDI chicken packaging ruffles people’s feathers, sparking heated debate
- Replies 13
When it comes to grocery shopping, we all want to bring home the freshest and safest food to our tables, especially when it involves perishable items like meat.
However, a recent incident involving an ALDI shopper has raised eyebrows and sparked a heated debate among thousands of Australians, leaving many to question the safety of their supermarket purchases.
The controversy began when an ALDI customer noticed something peculiar about her packet of fresh chicken breast schnitzels.
Upon arriving home, she observed that the packaging was unusually 'swollen' and took to social media to seek advice.
‘Would you still eat these? I was going to freeze them for later,’ the shopper asked, alongside a photo of the product.
She added that despite the unusual appearance of the packaging, the chicken remained within the designated used-by date.
The post ignited a firestorm of comments, with opinions divided on the safety of consuming the chicken.
‘These packs usually swell up when they have been out of the fridge too long. I’d do a smell check before you freeze them,’ one commenter advised.
‘I wouldn’t do it. It usually means it has been left out of the cold,’ another suggested.
A grocery store employee even said, ‘I would take that back,’ stating that such a product should not be sold if it looked like that.
However, not everyone saw the swollen packaging as a red flag.
A number of commenters shared that they had purchased similar-looking packets and consumed the contents without issue.
‘They are always like that. I have four like that in the fridge right now ready to make for dinner,’ one said.
‘The ones I buy are like that, too. All good, we are still alive,’ another agreed.
A third asserted that the meat packets were ‘meant to look like that’.
In contrast, some individuals suggested that conducting a straightforward ‘smell test’ would promptly indicate whether the chicken was safe for consumption.
The debate took a more serious turn when Sandra Olivier, a Senior Research Microbiologist at Quantal Bioscience with over 20 years of experience, weighed in on the matter.
She warned that food inside swollen packages like the shopper encountered, should not be eaten, regardless of the smell.
‘The appearance and/or smell of any food product cannot always be relied upon to decide if it is potentially unsafe to eat,’ Olivier explained.
‘You should always store food according to the manufacturer's instructions and eat food within the date markings.’
‘However, if you do observe refrigerated packaged food that is uncharacteristically bloated, discard or return it to the store if it is still within the best-before or use-by date,’ she added.
The Australian Chicken Meat Federation (ACMF) echoed this advice, suggesting that consumers concerned about unusual packaging should return the product to the store.
The cause of packaging swelling can vary, from a break in the cold chain during retail handling to groceries being left in a hot car.
However, Olivier highlighted a few factors that could lead to abnormally inflated packaging, advising consumers to take note of them.
‘Firstly, it should be understood that some foods that are sold in flexible packaging may be deliberately filled with gas by the manufacturer and can appear bloated,’ she explained.
This method is referred to as modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and is frequently employed in food packaging to prolong the shelf life of products.
‘However, uncharacteristically bloated packaged food can be a sign of gas production caused by the product. This is not limited to refrigerated packets of chicken, but can be seen in many types of food in flexible packaging.’
‘In some cases, this gas production could be a result of microbiological activity—the growth of microorganisms in the product,’ she continued.
As debate ensues over this discovery, concerns about the quality and safety of supermarket meat products come to mind.
The contentious discussion surrounding bloated packaging raises questions about the handling and preservation methods employed in the food industry.
It is also related to an earlier story, which delves into the unsettling truths about supermarket meat.
Together, these shed light on the importance of discerning food quality and understanding the implications of packaging anomalies, urging consumers to remain vigilant when purchasing meat products.
Have you ever come across a similar situation with swollen food packaging? What did you do? Join the conversation and let us know in the comments below.
However, a recent incident involving an ALDI shopper has raised eyebrows and sparked a heated debate among thousands of Australians, leaving many to question the safety of their supermarket purchases.
The controversy began when an ALDI customer noticed something peculiar about her packet of fresh chicken breast schnitzels.
Upon arriving home, she observed that the packaging was unusually 'swollen' and took to social media to seek advice.
‘Would you still eat these? I was going to freeze them for later,’ the shopper asked, alongside a photo of the product.
She added that despite the unusual appearance of the packaging, the chicken remained within the designated used-by date.
An ALDI shopper ignited discussion by posting about the inflated packaging of a chicken product she bought. Credits: Facebook / Aldi Mums
The post ignited a firestorm of comments, with opinions divided on the safety of consuming the chicken.
‘These packs usually swell up when they have been out of the fridge too long. I’d do a smell check before you freeze them,’ one commenter advised.
‘I wouldn’t do it. It usually means it has been left out of the cold,’ another suggested.
A grocery store employee even said, ‘I would take that back,’ stating that such a product should not be sold if it looked like that.
However, not everyone saw the swollen packaging as a red flag.
A number of commenters shared that they had purchased similar-looking packets and consumed the contents without issue.
‘They are always like that. I have four like that in the fridge right now ready to make for dinner,’ one said.
‘The ones I buy are like that, too. All good, we are still alive,’ another agreed.
A third asserted that the meat packets were ‘meant to look like that’.
In contrast, some individuals suggested that conducting a straightforward ‘smell test’ would promptly indicate whether the chicken was safe for consumption.
The debate took a more serious turn when Sandra Olivier, a Senior Research Microbiologist at Quantal Bioscience with over 20 years of experience, weighed in on the matter.
She warned that food inside swollen packages like the shopper encountered, should not be eaten, regardless of the smell.
‘The appearance and/or smell of any food product cannot always be relied upon to decide if it is potentially unsafe to eat,’ Olivier explained.
‘You should always store food according to the manufacturer's instructions and eat food within the date markings.’
‘However, if you do observe refrigerated packaged food that is uncharacteristically bloated, discard or return it to the store if it is still within the best-before or use-by date,’ she added.
The Australian Chicken Meat Federation (ACMF) echoed this advice, suggesting that consumers concerned about unusual packaging should return the product to the store.
The cause of packaging swelling can vary, from a break in the cold chain during retail handling to groceries being left in a hot car.
However, Olivier highlighted a few factors that could lead to abnormally inflated packaging, advising consumers to take note of them.
‘Firstly, it should be understood that some foods that are sold in flexible packaging may be deliberately filled with gas by the manufacturer and can appear bloated,’ she explained.
This method is referred to as modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and is frequently employed in food packaging to prolong the shelf life of products.
‘However, uncharacteristically bloated packaged food can be a sign of gas production caused by the product. This is not limited to refrigerated packets of chicken, but can be seen in many types of food in flexible packaging.’
‘In some cases, this gas production could be a result of microbiological activity—the growth of microorganisms in the product,’ she continued.
As debate ensues over this discovery, concerns about the quality and safety of supermarket meat products come to mind.
The contentious discussion surrounding bloated packaging raises questions about the handling and preservation methods employed in the food industry.
It is also related to an earlier story, which delves into the unsettling truths about supermarket meat.
Together, these shed light on the importance of discerning food quality and understanding the implications of packaging anomalies, urging consumers to remain vigilant when purchasing meat products.
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