Fish hook, line, and dinner: Woman’s mealtime surprise raises food safety concerns

A 31 year old woman was shocked to find a fishing hook and line embedded in her meal. The woman, named June, raised concerns about food safety and quality after her unpleasant experience with food ordered from a restaurant in Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi.

June yesterday reported that on July 27, she and a friend ordered food through a delivery service. Their order included spicy fried catfish leaves, plain rice, and rice with mutton. As they were enjoying their lunch and portioning out the catfish for later, she discovered a fishing hook and line among the fish’s innards in her second serving.

Catfish is usually one of her favourites, but this discovery made her stomach turn. She is now raising alarms on food safety and hygiene standards.

Upon the disturbing realisation, she immediately alerted her friend, who was equally baffled by the presence of the fishing hook in their meal. They thought the possibility was unbelievable, but the hook was indeed real.

June recounted contacting the restaurant to report her shocking discovery. The staff were stunned, asserting they had thoroughly cleaned the fish. They offered to make a fresh dish of fried catfish leaf, however, June, still in a state of shock, preferred a refund. The restaurant refunded her 120 baht for the dish, reported Sanook.

Following the incident, she expressed how a greater disaster could have happened had she swallowed the hook. A fishing hook lodged anywhere in the body could cause significant harm, potentially requiring surgical removal.

She confessed that fear lingered long after the terrifying experience, causing her to meticulously check her food before consumption now. The incident had scarred her to the point where she hasn’t consumed catfish or any fish-based dishes ever since.

Further, the traumatised consumer urged restaurant owners to exercise diligence and caution in maintaining food safety and high quality. She felt she should be able to safely eat food ordered with hard-earned money without apprehension.

Based on her accounts, it’s believed that the fishing hook was likely lodged deep in the fish’s body when it ate the bait. No retrieval was possible, so the line was cut. However, the oversight lies with the restaurant staff in ensuring the fish was cleaned thoroughly. The relative size of the hook would make it easily noticeable with proper cleaning.