Muesli full of maggots and a dead spider in a loaf: Consumer food safety complaints rise in 2024

A dead spider in a loaf of brown bread was one of the complaints in the unfit food category, the most frequently reported complaint handled by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in 2024. File photo

A dead spider in a loaf of brown bread, a piece of glass in a chicken breast, and a pack of muesli full of maggots were just some of the complaints handled by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in 2024.

A total of 8,596 complaints and queries were lodged to the agency’s advice line that year, and 4,996 of those complaints came from consumers. The 4,996 consumer complaints represent a 13.7% increase on the year 2023, which saw 4,395 complaints.