Food Safety Expert Discusses Customer Injury from Foreign Object in Meal

Case Overview

This case involves a patron of a fast casual restaurant chain who suffered injuries after ingesting a foreign object in his meal. At the time of the incident in question, the man was eating lunch with several of his colleagues from work at the the restaurant, where he ordered a burrito. After several bites, the man suddenly experienced a sharp pain in his throat as well as bleeding. Examination at the hospital revealed a laceration that had likely been caused by a sharp fragment of metal that had been present in his food.

Questions to the Restaurant expert and their responses

Are you able to determine if the object could have originated from improper food preparation?

I have owned and managed several restaurants and kitchens, and maintained each kitchen up to Department of Health standards in a major east coast city. I managed various locations of a similar fast-casual restaurant for a three year period. The foreign object made contact with the burrito either during the food preparation process or while the customer was eating the burrito. Because workers are in and out of the kitchen, it is quite possible that the foreign object came from an employee or within the kitchen. I would want to consider where the customer was consuming the food in the restaurant, whether the kitchen is up to health department standards, and whether all employees wear gloves during food preparation.

About the expert

This expert restaurant consultant has a wealth of experience as a professional chef and restaurant manager with varied experience in both New York City and the Caribbean. For several years, she owned and operated a successful restaurant and bar on St John in the US Virgin Islands and later operated a number of high volume restaurants in New York, including Le Pain Quotidien. She is licensed as a NYC food handler. She currently works as a freelance consultant and food columnist.