An inspection report by the Food and Drug Administration has uncovered some pretty disgusting finds after visits to airline catering kitchens. The inspections took place at U.S. kitchens of Gate Gourmet, LSG Skychefs and Flying Food Group. These three make up the majority of aviation catering.
During the visits, FDA inspectors found food stored at unsafe temperatures, unclean equipment, poor employee hygiene, flies, live roaches and other pests.
A public sanitation consultant hired by USA Today went over the findings, and had the following to say:
“In spite of best efforts by the FDA and industry, the situation with in-flight catered foods is disturbing, getting worse and now poses a real risk of illness and injury to tens of thousands of airline passengers on a daily basis.”
Naturally, when presented with the results, the three catering firms pledged to take matters “very seriously”, but the fact remains that this is not the first time hygiene and sanitation has been an issue with airline catering. One catering facility has failed to meet FDA standards for the past two years – with floors testing positive for listeria along with ants, flies and other pests.
Even though many domestic airlines stopped feeding passengers in coach, business and first class passengers still get fresh meals, and you’ll also be fed on long haul domestic and international flights. Sooner or later an entire plane full of passengers is going to become violently ill, which is probably the only way the filthy kitchens will really be “taken seriously.”
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[Image from: AFP/Getty Images]