'˜Korma trauma' continues for Bexhill mum

Emmer Sheridan, 31, complained to the frozen food giant after she found what she believed was a decomposed rodent (Observer June 10) in a jar of Iceland’s own brand of Korma sauce.

She claims the company has not taken her complaint seriously enough, conducted proper tests nor given her a definative answer on what the object was.

Emmer said: “I’m not happy with the outcome.

“Iceland is claiming the object was mould but it hasn’t specified what the tests were. It is passing the buck and appears to be insinuating that I put it there.

“I don’t think Iceland is taking its responsibilities seriously enough.”

Following her complaint, Emmer received a number of letters from Greencore Grocery, which conducted the tests.

In one letter Greencore confirmed that the ‘unidentified foreign object’ was a ‘large piece of mould’ and that mould in their products is ‘unlikely to occur’ unless there is ‘loss of vacuum’, leading to air ingress and ‘post process contamination’.

The letter went on: “We were surprised to see that the jar was only half full and would expect the mould to grow on top of the product as it requires air to grow.

“It is therefore most likely that this jar had been opened and subsequently stored for the mould to grow.”

Greencore also supplied Emmer with a copy of their investigation report, and mould ‘comparison’ photographs, but Emmer asked them to look again at the evidence and said: “I do fail to see how a mould of such size can form in an air-tight seal in the middle of a liquid, with no sign of secondary mould growth around the top of the food or container.

“There is no way mould could have grown in that jar in my home as it was only open for minutes before I found the foreign body.”

“I still think it was a rodent.”

Following Observer enquiries a spokesperson for Iceland said: “Thank you for contacting us regarding Mrs Sheridan’s complaint.

“I can confirm that we contacted Mrs Sheridan today regarding her concerns and have come to an amicable agreement.”

PICTURED: Emmer Sheridan