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Plastic piece found in food - do I need a lawyer?

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DawnInWV

Member
I live in West Virginia.

I was cooking last night and I have a box of minute rice. When I poured the rice into the measuring cup I noticed a dark piece. At first I thought it was just a piece of discolored rice, but going on my instinct that something didn't look right I stopped pouring and dug out the piece. I was alarmed at what I found. A small plastic chip, obviously from some sort of machine or device because it wasn't rice. It was small enough that you could have not noticed it on you fork or spoon and ate it, but large enough that if you ate it you would take it out of your mouth while chewing.

What bothers me about the whole thing is that I have 2 small children and I'm alarmed at thinking they may have choked on it, or at the very least it could have caused them some distress. And it bothers me I might have ate it too, it was kinda sharp and what if it got stuck in our esophagus or something?

I immediately wrote an email to the company because they were already closed for the day. The left me a message this morning saying they want the piece, along with the box, and they will mail me replacement coupons.

Should I get a lawyer? I tend to think that I should get some compensation for this (not hundreds of millions or anything ridiculous, but something), it just really bothers me and I'm afraid to even eat rice without combing thru it now to make sure it's "clean."
 
Last edited:


racer72

Senior Member
Sorry, you did not win the Deep Pockets Lottery. You are not entitled to anything but replacement of the defective product. You and your family suffered no medical problems, your only potential loss was a box of rice. Send the foreign object to the company and accept the coupons, you will be amazed how generous companies can be when giving out coupons. I scored over $40 in coupons from Friskies for a defective 45 cent can of cat food.
 

DawnInWV

Member
Thanks for a quick reply. I didn't think I was going to be rich, lol. I was thinking maybe a few thousand or something would've been nice. But I really didn't know if I was entitled to anything so I figured I'd ask.

$40 in coupons would be nice, I could buy enough rice to last for months :)

Thanks again!
 

HomeGuru

Senior Member
I live in West Virginia.

I was cooking last night and I have a box of minute rice. When I poured the rice into the measuring cup I noticed a dark piece. At first I thought it was just a piece of discolored rice, but going on my instinct that something didn't look right I stopped pouring and dug out the piece. I was alarmed at what I found. A small plastic chip, obviously from some sort of machine or device because it wasn't rice. It was small enough that you could have not noticed it on you fork or spoon and ate it, but large enough that if you ate it you would take it out of your mouth while chewing.

What bothers me about the whole thing is that I have 2 small children and I'm alarmed at thinking they may have choked on it, or at the very least it could have caused them some distress. And it bothers me I might have ate it too, it was kinda sharp and what if it got stuck in our esophagus or something?

I immediately wrote an email to the company because they were already closed for the day. The left me a message this morning saying they want the piece, along with the box, and they will mail me replacement coupons.

Should I get a lawyer? I tend to think that I should get some compensation for this (not hundreds of millions or anything ridiculous, but something), it just really bothers me and I'm afraid to even eat rice without combing thru it now to make sure it's "clean."
**A: yes, get a lawyer and sue for $1.2 million.
 

tranquility

Senior Member
HomeGuru was joking. You have no damages beyond the cost of a box of rice. That is the most you would get in a lawsuit.
 

mmmagique

Member
The guru dude was only kidding (I'm pretty sure)
The humour here on these boards is rather dry (which I enjoy) and quite often aimed at the unsuspecting innocent posters (which I can live without)

You have no damages and therefore no case. Enjoy the coupons though.

Otoh, I do find it interesting that they want the piece and the box. Trying to track it down for a recall possibly? Idk...

~Christina
 

DawnInWV

Member
Ok lol.

And yes mmmagique, they not only want the entire box, but they want the remaining rice that's in the box and they're mailing me everything I need to ship it back to them at no cost to me.

Maybe there are more boxes out there.

It's like what kind of luck do I have! I just bought a box of diapers for my son 2 days ago, and every single diaper in the box in defective (too much glue in the same spot on all the diapers to the point where they can't be worn)! And I just wrote the diaper company a few days ago about a different problem, and now I have another problem. I wondering if they're gonna start thinking I'm out to get free diapers, but I'm willing to send the whole box back to them as proof.

Are there any quality products anymore? lol
 

BL

Senior Member
First ( and I'm not going to go looking for it ) , food manufactures are allowed so much foreign objects in their food , before recalls , etc . occurs . Quality control is good , but can not catch everything .

I'm mean like baby food a few years ago where they found glass pieces in them is another thing .

You have no damages .

Hey speaking of coupons , I tried that new V8 veg. and fruit juice , bought two 32 oz.

Yuk . Taste like stale beer . They sent me three - 3 dollar coupons . I do like the v8 veg. juice .
 

DawnInWV

Member
Just to update the situation, they sent me coupons for 4 free boxes of rice. Then I received a letter explaining that the piece was looked at by quality control and they concluded it was "excessive glue." It didn't look like glue to me, but that's what they said it was. They included another coupon for another free box of rice.

So I got 5 free boxes of rice so I'm happy :)
 

HomeGuru

Senior Member
Just to update the situation, they sent me coupons for 4 free boxes of rice. Then I received a letter explaining that the piece was looked at by quality control and they concluded it was "excessive glue." It didn't look like glue to me, but that's what they said it was. They included another coupon for another free box of rice.

So I got 5 free boxes of rice so I'm happy :)
**A: ok, case closed.
 

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