School Children Hospitalized After Being Served Raw, Undercooked Chicken for Lunch
Schoolchildren from New Zealand got sick after consuming a meal from their lunch provider, Bells Produce. Some were so sick and were hospitalized.
Schoolchildren Got Sick Due to Raw Chicken
According to Newsweek, the chicken tenders served turned out to be raw. Phoenix LN even shared a photo of the tenders to the Kaitaia Community Facebook page, showing the inside of the chicken, which looked pink and raw.
The user who shared the photo said someone had to be fired as they didn't even know how to cook chicken. Several netizens reacted and agreed that it was raw.
Many also said they thought it was undercooked, but it seemed that the chicken didn't get heated; even the crumbs looked uncooked.
Undercooked chicken can lead to several bacterial infections when consumed, including Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Clostridium perfringens, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Around a million people in the United States suffer from food poisoning from raw chicken every year, based on the health organization's estimate. Salmonella is responsible for most cases of food poisoning.
However, not all raw chicken is contaminated with Salmonella or other bacteria. However, CDC noted that around one in every 25 packages sold in the U.S. is host to the pathogen.
Maria Parsons, whose 14-year-old child vomited three times at school after eating the tenders, told The Northern Advocate it was basic health and safety guidelines. Also, according to her knowledge, they have a certified chef, referring to Bells Produce.
Parsons called out the Ministry of Health to check and investigate the matter. Meanwhile, Bells Produce issued a public apology on Facebook.
Bells Produce Apologized for Serving Raw Chicken to Schoolchildren
Bells Produce announced that they were informed about the problems with the lunches delivered at Kaitaia College. The meal reportedly had cooled crumbed chickens as ingredients, and they were told that a batch of the lunches had uncooked meat.
The company apologized to the school and children who were affected. They said they had already recalled all the lunches as a safety measure after being notified of the incident.
Bells Produce acknowledged the issue and said they would investigate what caused it. They are also working with the school and everyone involved.
The company's apology received mixed responses. One netizen also shared a photo of the uncooked chicken; many were shocked that it still looked raw.
One said the chicken had never seen a cooker. Another said it was repulsive. A different user was so upset that he hoped the company would be shut down, so they would never be able to produce food again.
Some netizens said the children should have noticed it, noting that they always inform their kids to spit the food when it doesn't taste as it should.
According to FoodsGuy, the chicken should be cooked fully because eating undercooked or raw chicken can lead to foodborne illness.
Raw or undercooked chicken's taste depends on how much it has been cooked or how raw it is. Raw chicken is slimy and has a very mild flavor. Undercooked is firmer in texture and will have some flavor, though not as flavorful as cooked chicken.
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