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FDA Warns that Airline Meals Pose a 'Real Risk of Illness'

June 28, 2010 at 10:43 AM | by | Comments (2)

Prepare to be grossed out. USA Today got their hands on some recent FDA documents stating that the majority of food produced for consumption onboard US flights serviced by LSG Sky Chefs, Gate Gourmet and Flying Food Group is prepared in unsanitary, unsatisfactory conditions.

Cockroaches, mice and employees with bad hygiene are overtaking many of the 91 kitchens operated by the in-flight meal companies, which deliver "more than 100 million meals annually to U.S. and foreign airlines at U.S. airports." Food from these kitchens ends up onboard most of the major airlines, including Delta, American, United, US Airways and Continental. Inspectors warn that the conditions cause "real risk of illness and injury to tens of thousands of airline passengers on a daily basis," and open up a door to massive food poisoning outbreaks.

At the end of the USA Today article, they quote Jetblue as saying that they conduct their own impromptu checks of the food prep kitchen, but this point is moot because Jetblue only serves pre-packaged snack foods like Terra Blue Chips. Why didn't USA Today talk to an airline that deals out thousands and thousands of heated dinners per day? Probably because none would speak to USA Today?

We ate the economy class chicken meal above on a recent Delta flight to Berlin, and now we're wondering what kind of grossness was hidden in the mystery green stuff there. Does hearing all this make you want to bring your own sack lunch onboard?

Related Stories:
· FDA Report reveals airline food could pose health threat [USAToday]
· The Best Domestic Airlines for Healthy In-Flight Snacking [Jaunted]
· The Saddest Fruit Plate in All of First Class [Jaunted]
· Airplane Food [Jaunted]

[Photo: Delta international Coach class meal, Jaunted>]

Comments (2)

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Return to » FDA Warns that Airline Meals Pose a 'Real Risk of Illness'


Yuck

Am not paying for airline food again. From here on out, making my own sandwiches or grabbing a bag of potato chips from the newstand rather than order airline food. Gross.
juliana on June 28, 2010 at 12:18 PM #Permalink

Nasty

Cockroaches and bad personal hygiene? Disgusting. This definitely makes me want to pack my own food, but it puts you in a bind if you are traveling on long overseas trips and can't exactly pack for an eight-plus-hour trip.
Jennifer Kester on June 28, 2010 at 1:41 PM #Permalink

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