KFC investigates after chewing gum is found in meal gravy pot

A sticky substance thought to be chewing gum was found in a gravy pot allegedly bought from a drive-through branch of a KFC

A fast-food chain is investigating after a woman allegedly found chewing gum in her takeaway meal.

Tanya Last, 45, said she found the sticky substance in a gravy pot bought from a drive-through KFC in Bury Road, Ipswich, on 9 January.

In a letter from KFC, seen by the BBC, the firm apologised for the "unusual" incident, and said it would be investigating her complaint.

A KFC spokesperson told the BBC: "This is a pretty bizarre incident."

Mrs Last said she was shocked by the find.

"I opened the gravy pot and saw this white stuff and thought 'what is that?' so sniffed it, and it smelt of mint so instantly knew it was chewing gum," she said.

Tanya Last complained to the KFC branch and reported the matter to its HQ as well as environmental health

Mrs Last, who lives in Ipswich, said she returned to the restaurant where a member of staff took the meal and refunded her payment, as first reported by the Ipswich Star newspaper.

She notified environmental health officers who, she said, did a snap inspection the following day.

A spokesman for Ipswich Borough Council confirmed it was investigating after it "received a complaint from a customer about the quality of a food item".

Meanwhile a KFC representative said: "We've got very strict hygiene and quality processes in our restaurants and we've worked closely with the EHO, [environmental health] who has already visited to double check all our procedures.

"This restaurant currently holds a 5* Food Hygiene rating, we've not had any similar complaints and having looked into it, we can't find any evidence to suggest this happened in our kitchen - so frankly, it's a really odd one.

"We've already refunded the meal and we're in contact with the guest to chat further."

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