Warning: don't read this if you are squeamish or gross out easily

[Not a robought]

I wasn't sure where to post this since GD is usually politically charged and the Lounge tends to be more relaxed but here goes.

I went to the local corner store to buy a chocolate bar. I brought it home and noticed what looked like shavings around the chocolate bar after I unwrapped it. I didn't think much of it, thinking it was probably just jostled in shipping.

I proceed to finish the candy bar and then on a closer look of the wrapper saw much more of these shavings and about three small maggots.

I immediately put the wrapper in a baggy and brought it back to show the store clerk who gave me my buck back.

This has pretty much grossed me out and I don't think I will be able to sit down to a meal for the next couple of days without inspecting each bite I take.

I'm just wondering what I should do about this. I don't think I will get physically ill but I've been advised to monitor my health for food poisoning over the next few days. This has truly disturbed me.

Should I contact the chocolate manufacturer? A lawyer?

Literally :puke:

[Dover]

1. Consider yourself ready to compete on Fear Factor! Protein!

The store allowed it to stay on the shelf too long perhaps. Check the date on the wrapper.

Are you really up to a lawsuit?

[Not a robought]

4. I'm not really

but jebus christ, I doubt I'll ever look at chocolate the same way again. :(

[Dover]

6. I know it's NOT funny. In fact it sounds just horrible!

Knowing me I'd probably puke, perhaps report the incident to the company (if it's date was expired), and then I'd ponder whether this has all been for the best...either making me eat more consciously or stay off sweets for awhile...or something. I'm always pondering the lesson and deeper meaning......and no incident is too small or inconsequential for my little couch sessions. The doctor is always IN.

I am so sorry for your chocu-trauma. Yuk! This sort of thing happened to me a couple of times when I was a child and it definitely left it's mark.

[Melsky]

2. ewww I didn't know they could eat chocolate

I bit into a hazelnut that had bugs in it, and it was so horrible. I did inspect everything I ate for a while! That was about 6 months ago and I have forgotten about it until now.

On edit- let the manufacturer know. They may give you coupons for free stuff. Then again, maybe you don't want free stuff from them now.

[sandnsea]

3. You poor thing

That's the most awful thing I've heard!!! Eeeewww!

Do you still have the wrapper? I would sure be for contacting the owner of the store and the chocolate company to see whose fault this is and to let them both know that one is screwing up the business of the other.

Yuk! Yuk! Yuk!

[Dehumanizer]

5. When I was very young, like 4 or 5

I remember opening an old Hershey's Kiss and there they were inside of it. Thanks for bringing back a terrible memory from my youth. argh.

[Not a robought]

8. Bah sorry, I tried to warn you. n/t

[silverweb]

7. That happened to me once.

The product was a package of Nestle chocolate bars and when opened, every one contained little worm-like critters and multiple worm holes. What I did was wrap one of the candy bars up in plastic and mail it to the Nestle headquarters, along with the wrapper and a letter detailing the purchase. (I either never got or had already lost the receipt.)

Nestle replied by sending a box approximately one cubic foot in size containing samples of ALL of their chocolate products, along with coupons and a lovely letter of apology. Without taking or placing any blame, they indicated that lengthy and/or improper storage could have been responsible for the condition of the candy.

This was a number of years ago and you might not receive the same result, but it's sure worth a try. :)

[Exultant Democracy]

13. Same thing happend to my friend

He got a whole bunch of candy from them.

[morningglory]

9. Flies

I am from the south, and am very sure that house flies or blow flies or garbage dump flies would never lay eggs on chocolate candy. Maybe some kind of weevil thingy.

[rasputin1952]

10. If you still have the wrapper...

I would call the 800 # and tell them about the situation. There is a code on the wrapper that has the manufacturing data necessary to trace the date/place of processing.

While I would propose that this was not necessarily the chocolate companies fault, (I find it difficult to believe that the critters would survive the processing at the plant), they really should know about the problem. It is a health and safety issue, and you will get their attention.

Be wary of other things purchased at this particular store. Most likely, the product became contaminted either in transport, or at the store. If it was in the store, they need to do something to alleviate the situation.

[BurtWorm]

11. The infestation probably happened in the store.

The candymaker is probably not at fault.

[Ready4Change]

12. Health wise...

I don't think you have anything physical to fear. The mental image is disturbing to us ultra-hygiene conscious westerners, but your digestive track will make pretty short work of those fellas. And their "output" shouldn't do you harm, either.

But it would be understandable if you view chocalates with a certain amount of suspicion for a while.

I'd be surprised at them going after pure chocolate. Were there nuts in there, maybe?