Food safety complaints double over Christmas: study

Alleged food poisoning was the most common complaint last year.

Complaints of food poisoning, allergic reactions and foreign bodies discovered in food increased by more than half during the festive season, according to food safety specialist Food Alert.

Examining the number of food complaints they were asked to investigate during December last year, data showed a 55% increase compared to those handled during an average month.

Incidents of alleged food poisoning was the most common complaint with 79%, followed by reports of foreign bodies (13%) and allergic reactions (8%).

Food-wise, calamari and chicken liver parfait were the most common items that were complained about over the festive period.

“How operators deal with issues and complaints is vital to keeping reputations intact and having watertight processes, training and supporting evidence trails in place are all absolutely crucial – communication really is key,” Food Alert managing director David Bashford said.

“Identifying high-risk food processes and ingredients and formally conveying them to all employees, including temporary staff, is just one step that will help mitigate the number of incidents to ensure the lucrative festive period is a Christmas cracker for everyone.”