****WARNING**** If you are squeamish, don't look or read any further!
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| Fish with Extra Protein on the Side! |
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| Yes, it was alive! |
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| And moving, albeit slowly! |
Now, I am a biologist and a gardener and I am not easily spooked by worms. I know they have a place in the entire scheme of things. I handle earthworms and such with no qualms. And I know that most fish have parasites on them and so forth. And I know that cooking will kill most, if not all, such parasitic things. And we probably eat quite a few hidden things unknowingly when we eat salad greens, etc., unless they have been washed well.
But I'd rather not eat a piece of fish for which I paid good money, knowing it had a worm inside the package! Maybe if I was starving and this was the only food I had, then, I might have reconsidered, but I'm not in that desperate situation, yet!
According to the package, the halibut was regularly prices at - are you ready for this? - $29.99/lb! With the store card, it was priced at $19.99/lb. This particular piece was some .3lb. and was priced at $7.00, but on sale for $5.25 as it was nearing the sell-by date. That is still an expensive piece of fish! Normally, I won't even look at the halibut because it is so expensive! I bought it because I do like halibut and I was in that "treat myself" mood, yesterday. I talked myself into buying it, saying it would cost more if I were to go out and have fish at a restaurant. At that price, I expect to see a good, uncontaminated piece of fish!
The second package of fish didn't have any visible unwanted protein, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to take my chances with it! What surprised me most was that I bought this fish at the big name supermarket chain grocery store, where I'd expect higher standards! Not at the ethnic store, where they have a full service fish/meat counter and things are kept in bulk in display cases and not prepackaged.
So, this morning, I took both packages of fish and the package of beef (which appeared to be fine, but I decided I didn't want it, either!) back to the grocery store and returned them for a refund. The cashier was very nice about it. I just walked up to her and said I wanted to return these items and asked whether I should see a manager about it, and she said she can help me. She just asked if I had my receipt. But I told her why I was returning them - showed her the offending worm and told her to throw the package away. I hope she did! But I didn't wait around to see if she did or not! For all I know, they took the package to the back, removed the worm and repackaged it for sale! How would anyone know?
It was almost enough to make me want to become a vegetarian, but it didn't! I guess I am not quite that squeamish! LOL. Instead, I went to the ethnic store and bought my groceries there, including chicken (leg quarters on sale for $.49/lb.) and shrimp ($3.99/lb.) I'll do another post about today's grocery shopping, later; I need to figure out how much I spent altogether, since I got refunded for part of yesterday's shopping.
Have you ever found any unwanted protein in your grocery purchases? What would you have done?
Yes! I used to go to expensive fish markets in my area where I lived prior and I got worms a couple of times! And also from the grocery store once! So I think it is common. It made me stop buying though! They are hard to see, and I think most people just don't notice them! Andrea
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I've had this happen that I know of, but as you say, I might not have noticed, before! Now that I know, I will probably put on my glasses and inspect everything very carefully before I buy!
DeleteJust a word about fish__Lots of fish have worms, not just outer parasites, but inner parasites as well. Amberjack, swordfish, halibut and some of the other denser fishes are especially prone to them. There is no USDA grading for fish and most of the time you never see them, but . . .
ReplyDeleteAnne, I suppose it doesn't matter once you cook it. I'd rather not see them crawling around on it, though! I've read to be wary about farm raised fish and that wild caught is better, but, it's another case of "buyer beware", I suppose.
DeleteOh, my. Yuck! I can handle earth worms okay, but I don't want to see a worm in my meat or fish. I'm glad you took it back. Does fish like that pass the inspection rules? Or was it okay since they put a warning on the package?
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what the rules and regulations are, Live and Learn. Something to look into, I'm sure. I'll be sure to inspect the packages well before I buy them, from now on.
DeleteOh yuck! I would have done the same thing you did, taken it back for a refund. I can't recall that I ever had this happen to me.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, this is the first time it has happened to me, Nathalie. We used to have a very good sea food market close to our house with a full service counter - you picked your fish, they cleaned and cut it for you, and, depending on the type of fish (mostly tilapia, I believe), fried it for you, if requested. Don't remember ever seeing worms on those fish! But the store closed. There is another store further away, but I haven't gone there recently.
DeleteYou did right to march back to the store with your interloper in the fish packet, as well as the other fish and meat. The only time I ever saw wormy fish was the one time we went fishing, when DS was still a baby. We caught three bass between us and as it was summer we later found they were wormy so couldn't be eaten, which was disappointing.
ReplyDeleteYou probably find a higher standard at the ethnic store than at a big name supermarket chain.
It poured with rain last night (I was awake for a few hours so I noticed it) and it was dull and drizzly all day. At least the snow is going down. Not much action in the sap pails but DH was busy boiling what he already had.
Bushlady
Most probably the supermarket violated some health codes, but I don't know for sure. Anyway, I shall be taking a good look at packages of fish and meat I buy from them from now on!
DeleteSend some of your down here, please! Our "rainy season" ends on April 14, and won't start again until October 1. The forecast says we might have some rain on Friday night, but that might be our last rain shower for awhile. I watered the garden today, but our water restrictions haven't been lifted, yet, and I don't want a huge bill, either. I'll send you some of our sunshine, in return! It was sunny and 81F, this afternoon when I was running errands.
Hope you have a good sap run in the next few weeks and have lots of syrup to process.
Have a lovely week, Bushlady.
I would have returned it too. Eeew! I've never noticed anything like that before but I'll be looking much closer now. It should be worm free at that price. X
ReplyDeleteExactly what I thought, Jules. It shouldn't have any worms at that price (or at any price, really!) I am going to take a magnifying glass with me, next time! LOL.
DeleteEeew! Never had that experience. In my teens I was invited by a new boyfriend for a meal at his home. His mother put a plate of salad in front of me and a caterpillar crawled out of the lettuce. I ate the ham on the other side of the plate and then put down my fork, but was too embarrassed to explain why.
ReplyDeleteYes, that would have been awkward to tell the hostess that there's a creepy-crawly on the plate! I hope this will be my one and only experience with this sort of thing!
DeleteYuck! What a thing to find!
ReplyDeleteWhen I worked at a store anything that left the store and was returned had to be thrown out. Most times if someone rang up and complained about a perishable item I'd tell them not to bring it back, just to throw it out. Shudder.
Glad you were able to return with no hassle
Yes, they were very nice about the return. I didn't want to throw it away because then, I would have been out of pocket! Returning it meant I got my money refunded.
DeleteMum bought some fish years ago from a market and found worms in it so took it back. The stall holder didn't really want to refund her money as he said it was 'natural'! Suffice to say she got her money back lol. I've never had any touch wood. Hope it stays that way. Xx
ReplyDeleteI hope it stays that way, too, Suzanne. It was pretty disgusting, to say the least! Glad your mum got her money back! "Natural" indeed! Goodness!
DeleteEwww! I know cooking would kill all sorts and life's great scheme has room for variety, but ewww! I'm glad you got a refund. It was expensive fish as well! x
ReplyDeleteI know, pretty disgusting, isn't it? If I didn't get a refund, I might have kicked up a fuss!
DeleteYuck... I was intending on having fish for supper tonight.. Think, I will wait on that one.lol
ReplyDeleteI am happy you were able to return the fish/meat with no problems.
Sorry, Judy, hope I didn't turn you off fish!
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