By Jenny Suo
An Auckland food franchise is investigating after a large jagged blade was found in one of its wraps.
The wrap was bought from a Habitual Fix store and the buyer says pieces of wilted salad may have saved her from biting into it.
Charlotte Westerhof is lucky the metal blade is in her hand and not her stomach.
Last night she bought a vegetarian wrap from Habitual Fix and took it home to find a nasty surprise.
“I didn’t like the lettuce, it was really wilted and so I thought I would just start digging it out. I was pulling it out and saw this big metal jagged thing in there,” she says.
“If I had bitten into it, it probably would have cut my gum, cracked my teeth or something. If I swallowed it, I definitely would be in the hospital.”
Ms Westerhof posted a photo onto Habitual Fix's Facebook page but that was immediately deleted.
“So I posted again on their Facebook page, saying ‘hey guys, don’t know why you guys deleted the message, but this is an issue, you cant ignore it’. And they said that they would contact me as soon as possible.”
Habitual Fix founder James Tucker has been investigating and says the blade did not come from their Queen Street store.
“Looking at the size and shape of the blade, my gut feel is that it has come from the lettuce growing or harvesting equipment,” he says.
But all the lettuce is washed and put under a metal detector before being sent to stores and Mr Tucker says staff quality check all food before it is served.
“We are as mortified as her when we saw the photos and look, my absolute sympathy goes out to her.”
Mr Tucker says he has told all his staff to be extra vigilant with checking food and says he will meet with his suppliers next week.
3 News