Shocking discovery in Woolworths item leaves family horrified: ‘It’s absolutely disgusting’
- Replies 21
When we think of a refreshing juice box, we imagine a sweet, wholesome drink that's perfect for quenching our thirst.
But for one family, a seemingly innocent juice box turned into a source of horror and concern.
A Queensland mother's recent experience has raised concerns about the safety of pre-packaged juice drinks sold at Woolworths.
The incident, which left her five-year-old son with an upset stomach, has sparked a conversation about the quality control of these products and the potential health risks they pose.
The mother, who wanted to be identified as Erin, had left her son with his grandmother while she took her daughter to an appointment.
According to Erin, her son had asked for a drink, and his grandmother gave him a juice box that had been purchased from Woolworths in Caboolture.
‘He put the straw in and took a few little drinks and then asked for it to be put in a cup,’ Erin shared.
‘My mum cut the corner of the spout and poured it into the cup, and black bits came out.’
She continued: ‘She poured the rest of the liquid out and saw there was more in the container that was too large to fit through the hole. When I arrived about an hour later, she told me what happened and said I needed to see it and see if I [could] tell what it [was].’
Using her phone light to inspect the juice box, she found large clumps of what appeared to be mould. She described the texture as similar to a waterlogged sultana.
Erin's son, who had only taken a few sips of the juice, experienced an upset stomach afterwards.
'Thankfully, only a slightly upset stomach the next day, but it could have been a lot worse,' Erin said.
She also expressed concern for her nieces and nephews who had consumed other juice boxes from the same pack on different days.
‘They had no ill effects, but we don’t know if their juices were also contaminated. But seeing as they were drunk through a straw, who knows,’ she explained.
In the aftermath of the event, Erin expressed her disappointment and disgust and issued a warning to others.
‘Honestly, we were shocked and disgusted,’ she said before adding that she doesn’t buy juice boxes for her children anymore.
‘Instead, we get a big bottle of juice for the family and put it on our reusable cups, but mum likes to keep them on hand.’
‘She will not be buying any brand of Primas again in fear of it happening again.’
The incident has sparked speculation among other parents online about what the black substance could be.
‘A lady commented on the post and mentioned that her father works in manufacturing, and it is most likely sediment from the bottom of the tank,’ Erin stated.
‘Another said she processes refunds for a store, and usually what happens is night fill will accidentally slice the carton with the knife on opening, and, in turn, mould grows.’
She added: ‘Either way, it’s absolutely disgusting, and parents should know to cut them open prior and pour it out just in case. I certainly wouldn’t trust them again.’
Erin lodged a complaint with Woolworths, Food Safety Queensland, and the juice's manufacturer, Bega Foodservice.
However, in response, Erin said Woolworths only offered her a $10 voucher.
Meanwhile, the supermarket giant stated that they take food safety seriously.
‘We take food safety seriously and are disappointed to see this customer's report,’ a spokesperson shared before adding that they have forwarded this complaint to the supplier for further investigation.
They also stated that the incident appears to be an isolated case.
‘If customers ever have concerns with food quality or safety, we encourage them to return the product in its packaging to their local store for a full refund and to lodge a formal report,’ said the spokesperson.
A spokesperson for Bega Group also responded, stating that they have commenced a thorough investigation into the incident.
‘As soon as we were made aware of this, we commenced working with our broader team to conduct a thorough investigation, which is still underway. The safety of our consumers and [the] quality of our product is, as always, the top priority,’ they said.
This story comes after Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci announced that he is resigning from his position, marking an end to his 13-year tenure with the supermarket giant.
Just days before this retirement announcement, he abruptly walked out of a Four Corners interview when questioned about the lack of competition in the Australian grocery market. You can read more about this story here.
Have you ever encountered a similar issue with pre-packaged food or drinks? Share your experiences in the comments below.
But for one family, a seemingly innocent juice box turned into a source of horror and concern.
A Queensland mother's recent experience has raised concerns about the safety of pre-packaged juice drinks sold at Woolworths.
The incident, which left her five-year-old son with an upset stomach, has sparked a conversation about the quality control of these products and the potential health risks they pose.
Black clumps were found inside the juice box. Credit: Yahoo News Australia
The mother, who wanted to be identified as Erin, had left her son with his grandmother while she took her daughter to an appointment.
According to Erin, her son had asked for a drink, and his grandmother gave him a juice box that had been purchased from Woolworths in Caboolture.
‘He put the straw in and took a few little drinks and then asked for it to be put in a cup,’ Erin shared.
‘My mum cut the corner of the spout and poured it into the cup, and black bits came out.’
She continued: ‘She poured the rest of the liquid out and saw there was more in the container that was too large to fit through the hole. When I arrived about an hour later, she told me what happened and said I needed to see it and see if I [could] tell what it [was].’
Using her phone light to inspect the juice box, she found large clumps of what appeared to be mould. She described the texture as similar to a waterlogged sultana.
Erin's son, who had only taken a few sips of the juice, experienced an upset stomach afterwards.
'Thankfully, only a slightly upset stomach the next day, but it could have been a lot worse,' Erin said.
She also expressed concern for her nieces and nephews who had consumed other juice boxes from the same pack on different days.
‘They had no ill effects, but we don’t know if their juices were also contaminated. But seeing as they were drunk through a straw, who knows,’ she explained.
In the aftermath of the event, Erin expressed her disappointment and disgust and issued a warning to others.
‘Honestly, we were shocked and disgusted,’ she said before adding that she doesn’t buy juice boxes for her children anymore.
‘Instead, we get a big bottle of juice for the family and put it on our reusable cups, but mum likes to keep them on hand.’
‘She will not be buying any brand of Primas again in fear of it happening again.’
The incident has sparked speculation among other parents online about what the black substance could be.
‘A lady commented on the post and mentioned that her father works in manufacturing, and it is most likely sediment from the bottom of the tank,’ Erin stated.
‘Another said she processes refunds for a store, and usually what happens is night fill will accidentally slice the carton with the knife on opening, and, in turn, mould grows.’
She added: ‘Either way, it’s absolutely disgusting, and parents should know to cut them open prior and pour it out just in case. I certainly wouldn’t trust them again.’
Erin lodged a complaint with Woolworths, Food Safety Queensland, and the juice's manufacturer, Bega Foodservice.
However, in response, Erin said Woolworths only offered her a $10 voucher.
Meanwhile, the supermarket giant stated that they take food safety seriously.
‘We take food safety seriously and are disappointed to see this customer's report,’ a spokesperson shared before adding that they have forwarded this complaint to the supplier for further investigation.
They also stated that the incident appears to be an isolated case.
‘If customers ever have concerns with food quality or safety, we encourage them to return the product in its packaging to their local store for a full refund and to lodge a formal report,’ said the spokesperson.
A spokesperson for Bega Group also responded, stating that they have commenced a thorough investigation into the incident.
‘As soon as we were made aware of this, we commenced working with our broader team to conduct a thorough investigation, which is still underway. The safety of our consumers and [the] quality of our product is, as always, the top priority,’ they said.
This story comes after Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci announced that he is resigning from his position, marking an end to his 13-year tenure with the supermarket giant.
Just days before this retirement announcement, he abruptly walked out of a Four Corners interview when questioned about the lack of competition in the Australian grocery market. You can read more about this story here.
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