What to Do If You Find Something in Your Food

Discovering an unexpected object in your food can turn a pleasant meal into a distressing and disgusting experience — and it could also be quite dangerous. While food manufacturers maintain strict quality control measures, foreign object contamination remains a concern affecting consumers worldwide.

Understanding how to handle such situations properly can protect your health and legal rights. As experienced Las Vegas product liability lawyers, we'll explain everything you need to know about foreign objects in food, from immediate actions to potential compensation.

What Foreign Materials Are Commonly Found in Food?

Food contamination with foreign materials remains a significant concern in the food industry. Based on FDA reports and consumer complaints, these objects frequently appear in processed and restaurant foods:

• Metal fragments, including small pieces of machinery parts, broken needles from meat processing, and steel wire from cleaning brushes, are commonly found due to equipment wear and tear during manufacturing.
• Glass shards often originate from broken containers, light fixtures, or damaged equipment in processing facilities, posing a serious risk to consumers' health.
• Plastic pieces, including fragments from packaging materials, conveyor belts, and disposable gloves used in food handling, frequently contaminate both packaged and prepared foods.
• Personal items such as jewelry, buttons, bandages, and hair from food handlers appear in restaurant meals and processed foods despite strict hygiene protocols.
• Natural contaminants like stones, twigs, insects, and rodents can make their way into products during harvesting and initial processing stages, particularly in minimally processed foods like grains, fruits, and vegetables.

These foreign objects pose health risks and lead to significant product recalls and legal settlements every year.

Injuries from Foreign Objects While Eating Food

Foreign objects in food can cause various injuries, ranging from minor discomfort to severe medical emergencies. In extreme cases, surgical intervention may be necessary to remove a swallowed object. When consumers accidentally ingest these contaminants, they may experience immediate trauma to their mouth, throat, and digestive system.

Common injuries include:

Sharp Objects (Glass Fragments, Metal Pieces)

• Serious lacerations to the mouth, throat, and internal organs
• Potential need for emergency surgery

Hard Objects (Stones, Unprocessed Bone Fragments)

• Broken teeth and severe dental damage
• Costly dental procedures

Severe Complications from Ingested Foreign Materials

• Internal bleeding
• Perforations of the digestive tract
• Complete blockages requiring immediate medical intervention

Children and elderly individuals are particularly vulnerable to foreign object injuries due to difficulty detecting objects before swallowing, with even small items potentially causing serious digestive or airway complications.

Prevention Tips for Consumers

While food safety is mainly the responsibility of food manufacturers, you can still take some easy steps to protect yourself and your family from foreign objects in your food.

Here are some key practices to follow:

• Always visually inspect your food before eating, especially at restaurants.
• Take smaller bites and chew your food slowly and carefully.
• Check packaged food to ensure seals are intact and have no visible damage.
• Inspect canned products carefully, avoiding those with dents, leaks, or bulging.

When eating out, choose trustworthy establishments with solid health inspection records. If your food looks or feels unusual, stop eating immediately and inform the restaurant staff.

For safer food handling at home:

• Store foods in tightly sealed containers to prevent contamination.
• Wash fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly to remove dirt and potential debris.
• Teach your children to eat slowly and carefully.
• Pay close attention to unusual textures or sensations when eating.

Following these simple tips can greatly reduce the risk of injuries from foreign objects and make your dining experiences safer and more enjoyable.

What Should I Do If I Find Something in My Food?

Discovering a foreign object in your food requires immediate and careful action. Taking the right steps early on can strengthen a potential product liability case and help protect your health and legal rights:

Immediate Actions After the Incident

1. Stop eating immediately.
2. Preserve the foreign object and remaining food in the original container or a sealed container.
3. Take clear photos of the object and contaminated food.
4. Save the original packaging or take photos of restaurant details.

Documentation Steps

1. Write down the date, time, and location of purchase.
2. Keep your receipt or take a photo of it.
3. Note any lot numbers or expiration dates on the packaging.
4. Document any physical symptoms or injuries.

Reporting Process

1. Contact the restaurant manager or food manufacturer.
2. File a complaint with your local health department.
3. Report to the FDA if it's a packaged product.
4. Seek immediate medical attention if you've ingested any part of the object.

Legal Protection

1. Keep all communication records with the company.
2. Get written statements from any witnesses.
3. Document all medical visits and related expenses.
4. Consider consulting a food safety attorney, especially if you've been injured.

Remember: Never surrender the original foreign object or food to the company without first consulting legal counsel and maintaining proper documentation for your personal injury case.

Compensation for Food Injuries

Consumers who suffer injuries from foreign objects in food may be eligible for compensation through legal settlements. The amount of compensation depends on several critical factors and specific damages involved.

Major Settlement Components

• Immediate medical treatment costs: Expenses incurred immediately following the injury.
• Long-term medical care expenses: Costs associated with ongoing medical care and future treatments.
• Dental repair procedures: Expenses related to repairing dental injuries.
• Lost wages during recovery: Compensation for income lost due to injury-related absences from work.
• Pain and suffering damages: Financial compensation for physical and emotional distress caused by the injury.

Factors Influencing Settlement Amount

• Severity of the injury (ranging from minor cuts to significant internal injuries)
• Extent and duration of required medical treatment
• Quality of documentation and evidence preservation
• Promptness in seeking medical treatment and thoroughness in medical record-keeping
• Timeliness of initiating legal action

Recommendations

Insurance companies and food manufacturers frequently attempt to settle quickly. However, consulting a legal professional can significantly increase your chances of receiving fair and adequate compensation, especially for severe injuries or long-term health impacts. Proper consideration of future medical expenses and ongoing care is essential to ensure comprehensive settlement calculations.

When You Need a Las Vegas Product Liability Attorney

Finding a foreign object in your food can be distressing, but not every case requires legal representation. However, certain situations strongly indicate the need for an attorney's legal knowledge and skills. Legal guidance becomes critical in several scenarios:

1. Serious injuries requiring extensive medical attention
2. Cases involving permanent physical damage
3. Situations with multiple liable parties

An attorney's involvement becomes particularly valuable when facing resistance from food companies or their insurers, especially if they dispute liability or offer inadequate compensation. Legal representation is essential when dealing with significant medical expenses, lost wages, or long-term health complications.

Remember, most food safety attorneys offer free initial consultations to evaluate your case and discuss potential legal options. They can ensure proper evidence preservation, handle communications with insurance companies, and protect your rights throughout the settlement process, particularly in cases involving lasting injuries or complex liability issues.

Get Legal Help from Cameron Law in Las Vegas

Food safety incidents involving foreign objects require prompt action and careful documentation. Whether you're dealing with a minor incident or serious injury, consulting with our skilled Las Vegas product liability lawyers can help protect your rights. By following proper procedures and seeking professional legal assistance, you can effectively handle these situations and pursue fair compensation for injuries sustained.

Resources

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA): A federal agency responsible for protecting public health by regulating food safety, drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics in the United States.
• USDA (United States Department of Agriculture): The federal department that oversees food safety in meat, poultry, and egg products while also providing guidelines for agriculture and food quality standards.
• EFSA (European Food Safety Authority): The European Union's independent scientific organization that assesses food-related risks and provides expert guidance on food safety matters across Europe.
• Consumers Union: An independent, nonprofit organization that conducts rigorous product testing and research to provide unbiased consumer information and advocate for product safety standards.
• University Medical Center (UMC): UMC's Emergency Department provides immediate medical care and proper documentation for your food contamination or injury case.