UAE | Health

Man shocked to find half a lizard in can of baked beans from Dubai store

Authorities act after man finds lizard in can of beans from a store in Bur Dubai

By Mohammed N. Al Khan, Staff Reporter
Published: 00:00 July 5, 2010

Image Credit: Sandeep Sequeira/Gulf News Reader
Sandeep Sequeira got the shock of his life when he opened a can of beans and found a lizard in it.

Dubai: Nothing can put you off your meal more than opening a can of beans and finding something staring back at you from inside the tin.

For Sandeep Sequeira that nightmare was all too true. He had bought a can of Kimball baked beans from a grocery store in Bur Dubai on Wednesday morning.

"When I got home I opened the can and I spotted something weird. So I took a spoon, placed the spoon under what was bothering me and lifted the spoon. It was half a lizard."

"I was lucky enough that it was right on top of the can. I was going to eat half the can only. I can only imagine if it was [right] at the bottom of the can."

He adds that the can didn't seem damaged in any way.

Other weird things that found their way into people's food

Sequeira contacted the municipality and a food inspector was sent to investigate the matter.

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Unwelcome guests in your food

"The inspector met with me and took the can and the lizard so that they can test it," Sequeira said.

"We have already pulled all Kimball baked bean cans with the same manufacture date and lot number as the one found to be contaminated," Ahmad Al Ali, head of the Food Inspection Section at Dubai Municipality, told Gulf News on Sunday.

"We were very surprised to see this kind of contamination in food products. It was fortunate that this was a contaminant that could be seen with the naked eye. However, such contaminants are very difficult to detect through port inspections," Al Ali said.

He said the municipality takes samples of imported food products to test before releasing the shipment.

"To detect something like this you'd have to open every can."

Al Ali went on to say that they have contacted the regional supplier of Kimball foods to explain how the lizard ended up in the can.

"We have also asked that we be supplied with a report of a full health and safety inspection of the Kimball factory in Malaysia, as well as evid-ence of improvement to ensure that there is no repeat of this kind of contamination."

Choithrams is the regional supplier for Kimball foods. Attempts by Gulf News to contact them went unanswered.

"I'm just letting people know about this. It's your job to tell your friends about this, because the other half of the lizard might be in their can," Sequeira said.

"The baked beans were cooked and canned in Malaysia, so the bottom half of the lizard might be anywhere in the world right now," he added.

The contaminated can was produced on January 13, 2010 and expires on July 13, 2011.

Tainted cans

If one comes across this batch of beans, please contact Dubai Municipality on 800900.

Taking precautions: House lizard ‘not toxic'

Eating food with a dead lizard is not poisonous and you do not die consuming such contaminated food, doctors said.

"Canned food is usually cooked in high temperature and will kill off any toxins," said Dr Lalit Uchil, specialist family physician at the Welcare Ambulatory Care Centre. "The stories you hear about people dying after eating food with a dead lizard is only anecdotal," he said. The lizard found in the can is apparently the common house lizard variety. While these are not poisonous, the live lizards are likely to carry certain bacteria which can cause salmonella, which results in vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramps. That is why it is necessary to wash hands when you touch a house lizard.

— Mahmood Saberi, Senior Reporter

Have you ever come across this kind of situation? What were the ramifications? Did the authorities take action?

Comments (23)

Added 16:31 July 5, 2010

I have given up on baked beans.

Mehv, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 16:22 July 5, 2010

i hope Dubai Muncilpality will stop it. we cannot give another chance for this. it has to be stopped and a lesson for other Companies.

Sajjad, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 14:40 July 5, 2010

Food contaminants that can be seen such as these are good but what if it is caused by the leaching of chemicals in the food or beverage which are not seen by the naked eye, For this authorities are advised to be cautious and wary of food handling especially in the production stage . Im also making it known to others that a classic example of these leaching is the way some people handle water delivery in Dubai where the delivery of bottled water is done only in open delivery trucks which are exposed to heat affecting the plastic bottles with water inside it and thereby causing danger to the consumers. Plastics in itself is already toxic and subjecting it to heat will only aggravate the exsting chemical reaction of water to plastic bottles and as such could cause long term effect in our health. Authorities must also be vigilant regarding this and should enforce laws re water delivery handling especially in hot countries like here in Dubai

Ma Nelia Tasarra, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 14:34 July 5, 2010

The canned food usuage will not be stopped, alot of restaurants, cafetaria's and markets are using the same canned food for preparing the meals in less time. It would be appreciated if the authorities urge the suppliers to send these canned items in the transparent cannes, so before buying any, we can have a look from outside.

Fozia, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 14:34 July 5, 2010

Thank god I just finished lunch and read this report. thanks to suqueria for highlighting this issue. i am eager to find out the next trigger on their investigations. such issues cant be neglected and the restaurant manager should be questioned and penalized for this. Eating food with a dead lizard is not poisonous and you do not die consuming such contaminated food. wow! some thing new to me? how abt a dead cockroach. can eat cockroaches. Please do get your facts right.if the canned food was cooked then how did the lizard enter the can? was the can cover completely closed.it should be mandatory for the municipalitys to do suprise checks and also monitor foods stored . i still remember i had seen a dead cockroach in the porota that i was having , this was long time back and that restaurant has been shut. so never loose this chance out of fear that you will be questioned. if you saw some thing weird report it.

Mathew Litty, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Added 14:20 July 5, 2010

another menacing contaminant, found specially in freshly baked/cooked desserts, is human hair. Authorities must step up their food inspection to control such distasteful incidences.

Abuzar, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Added 14:19 July 5, 2010

another menacing contaminant, found specially in freshly baked/cooked desserts, is human hair. Authorities must step up their food inspection to control such distasteful incidences.

Abuzar, SHJ, United Arab Emirates

Added 13:37 July 5, 2010

to Ahmad, of course they can find out if the lizard has dipped so long and boiled together with the beans, just like marinate your bbq meat, you can taste the spicy if you put it over night... I do believe this guy won't fake it out... and it is totally gross....!!!

Anonymous, dubai, Afghanistan

Added 13:11 July 5, 2010

It's not quite the same, however you can Imagine my surprise when we ordered shrimp-cocktail at a venue in Dubai. After a mouthful of salad, we noticed the leaves moving... The outlet managed to make the salad, serve it and add dressing without noticing the worms in the lettuce. We left the establishement, and have not gone back since.

Anonymous, Dubai, United Arab Emirates