Cape Town - A Cape Flats mom says she got more than she bargained for when buying sticky ribs at a local Spur.
Wesaal Abrahams now plans to report the restaurant to the health department after she allegedly found a barcoded sticker stuck to the cooked ribs she bought for her eight-year-old daughter Shawaal.
The mom explains on Saturday, the family went out for supper at Topeka Spur in Kenilworth Centre and everything was fine.
“My husband, Fareed Mohammed, was with us and we had gone to that Spur a few times,” she says.
“Before the food arrived I still gave them a good review online.
“We ordered our food and ate. My daughter ordered the ribs and I boxed the leftover ribs to take home.”
Wesaal Abrahams Picture: Monique Duval/Daily Voice
Abrahams says later that evening she warmed the meat and was shocked to see the label.
“I could not believe it. What if my daughter had eaten this? It is unacceptable and shows they do not check the meat.
“I am going to report Spur to the health department. This is not right,” the mom says.
The mother reported the incident to Spur’s customer service and was told the matter will be investigated.
Spur confirms the complaint was received and that the investigation has been concluded.
“Our production suppliers confirm the ‘piece of paper/sticker’ in the photograph does not originate from their facilities,” it said in a statement.
“The only barcoded sticker made use of, is placed on the outside of the rib box-case and bears no visual resemblance to that pictured.
“No sticker is ever placed on the product either within a Spur restaurant or within the production line. The product is grilled at over 500°C on a flame grill, a process in which paper/plastic would be incinerated immediately.”
Spur added that once a product leaves the restaurant in a doggy bag, it becomes difficult to comment on its “integrity and traceability”.
But Abrahams is sticking to her guns and says: “Yoh, they can lie, where would that barcode have come from? It was then sticking to the meat. I am not going to leave it like this.”