http://www.7days.ae/storydetails.php?id ... e=Customer cries fowl
A shopper who complained when a butcher’s assistant wiped his nose on his hands before touching raw chicken was left outraged when a store manager told her there was no problem as long as she cooked the meat properly.
Meenakshi Kumar was left dumbfounded after she was given culinary advice instead of an apology by Linsal Lawrence, a store manger at Lulu Hypermarket in Al Barsha.
Kumar said: “I saw the guy wipe his nose and I was really
ed.
“First I spoke to the hygiene manager who called the guy over. Even as he was walking over, he did it again but with both hands this time. “I was really kicking up a fuss because I was shocked. I asked to speak to the store manager and eventually I got to see Mr Linsal. I couldn’t believe the attitude. He told me there was no hygiene risk if I cooked it properly. That wasn’t exactly what I was expecting.”
Kumar, who had a pancreas and kidney transplant four years ago, was particularly alarmed as her medical history means any infection she picks up could be fatal.
“I told him, I won’t just get ill or sick - I could die. I don’t want the worker to lose his job or anything, I just think the attitude there is wrong. “I wasn’t even just complaining for me but for anyone shopping there, it really makes you feel sick.”
7DAYS contacted the store and spoke to Lawrence who confirmed the incident. He said: “The man touched his nose while he was working that
day, unfortunately. All our staff have hygiene training.”
When 7DAYS asked Lawrence if he had told Kumar to cook the meat, he said: “Yes. There is no risk of viral infection if you cook the chicken.”
However, Kumar went back to the store yesterday and received a full apology from Lawrence and was assured staff are being retrained.
An environmental health inspector at Dubai Municipality said his department will investigate the matter if an official complaint is lodged.
He said: “This is an issue of personal hygiene and it could suggest it is a habit of the worker involved. There needs to be retraining. To say cooking the chicken will make it okay is not an acceptable answer.”
The Municipality launched a series of food hygiene campaigns over the summer following the deaths of several children from suspected food poisoning. These included events at supermarkets for shoppers.
Infectious diseases specialist Dr Ram Shukla told 7DAYS that although cooking meat will kill bacteria, there are wider health implications.
“He’s quite right actually about cooking the chicken. But supposing it’s already pre-cooked food - then the bacteria can spread. Or it can be passed from person to person,” he said.
Dr Shukla added that in the case of swine flu - H1N1 - the virus can survive on surfaces for two to four hours.
