If you purchase food that is tainted, what recourse do you have? And who should you contact?
Shonda Richardson Wembley recently purchased a hamburger at a fast-food restaurant. Before taking a bite, she found a big bug starting her in the face. "I went to bring the burger up to my mouth and there's like this bug sitting right up in my face and I was like oh my God", said Wembley.
If you experience tainted food, your first call should be to the local health department.
If it's a matter of food safety, the Food and Drug Administration should be notified.
"The FDA's main concern is protecting the food supply, from whether it's intentional or unintentional contamination and preventing any food-borne illness", said Natalie Guidry.
If you have fallen ill from suspected food thats been tainted or tampered with, call 911 or seek emergency medical attention first.
Then, call your local health department and notify them. If you suspect the food youve purchased or consumed is tainted or has been tampered with, and it poses a health risk to others, call the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) hotline at (301) 443-1240. The number to the USDA for meat, poultry and fresh fruits and vegetables is (800) 535-4555.
Heres what the FDA regulates: Canned products, bagged lettuce or produce and seafood. The USDA regulates foods that have not been processed, such as meat, dairy and fruits and vegetables that are not canned or processed.
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