Nightmare at Big C - Warning: It Is Disgusting

[Badrabbit]

Not unusual when the meat is displayed openly, no protection from coughing and sneezing either. Just hope that the cooking process kills off any bacteria. BTW, it's common for the Thais to have a feel of the meat as well.

No one is going to feel my meat!

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[dick dasterdly]

I wash ALL fresh vegetables and meat - not only for the reason mentioned, but also because whilst it's obvious that the veg. is likely to contain pesticides etc. - it wouldn't suprise me at all to learn that the meat has been sprayed/washed in some chemical or the other to keep it 'fresh'.

 

When I ask my cleaner to wash the meat for me, she scours it with salt whilst washing!

[Vacuum]

25 minutes ago, Badrabbit said:

No one is going to feel my meat!

Sent from my SM-G610F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

You like tongs?

[NanLaew]

Meat will be cooked eventually so someone handling the meat, although not particularly nice, isn't that big a deal IMHO.

 

The ones that push my buttons are the bare-handed, bread and bun gropers, typically a grubby farang shopping for a bargain at the end of the day and pawing everything. You know the sort, greasy hair, long dirty fingernails and has been in LOS long enough to perfect the one-fingered nasal evacuation before wiping the residue off on his shorts.

 

You know who you are!

[JimmyTheMook]

meat perv

[neeray]

20 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

I wash ALL fresh vegetables and meat - not only for the reason mentioned, but also because whilst it's obvious that the veg. is likely to contain pesticides etc. - it wouldn't suprise me at all to learn that the meat has been sprayed/washed in some chemical or the other to keep it 'fresh'.

 

When I ask my cleaner to wash the meat for me, she scours it with salt whilst washing!

Washing meat can in turn contaminate a large amount of kitchen real estate as contaminated water droplets can splash far and wide; must be followed by a thorough sink/taps/counter cleaning. I have read that cooking meat thoroughly is all that is required. Up to you.

[neeray]

7 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Meat will be cooked eventually so someone handling the meat, although not particularly nice, isn't that big a deal IMHO.

 

The ones that push my buttons are the bare-handed, bread and bun gropers, typically a grubby farang shopping for a bargain at the end of the day and pawing everything. You know the sort, greasy hair, long dirty fingernails and has been in LOS long enough to perfect the one-fingered nasal evacuation before wiping the residue off on his shorts.

 

You know who you are!

Well stated! Man, do they ever get pissed off when I suggest very nicely that they use the tongs.

[tifino]

3 hours ago, giddyup said:

People don't handle the vegetables?

 

But they do go to the trouble of putting up a sign, specifically,

to "do not press the Mango"

[Denim]

Clearly , the safest and most healthy option is to quit eating altogether !

[Suradit69]

6 hours ago, giddyup said:

Not unusual when the meat is displayed openly,

Yes, at the Big C Extra Pattaya I would only buy meat that's prepackaged or that's on display under glass at the counter.

 

Of course it's best not to think about all that's happened to the meat since it was once alive even if it is presented in a supposedly hygienic way or been cooked in a restaurant in whatever country.

 

I went totally off beef when  living in Africa. They'd walk the animal to a nearby location, hack it to death, skin it and present cuts covered in grass and dirt and you'd sometimes find white worm-like things still wriggling when you cut into the meat.  Surprising how being a quasi-vegetarian suddenly becomes appealing.

 

[metisdead]

Some trolling posts have been removed. 

[sandrabbit]

5 hours ago, Denim said:

Stick around and you will see flies doing the fandango over the exposed meat and small roaches waltzing among the vegetables.

 

Even in the Mall , which is a bit up market , I saw a wealthy looking woman stick her finger into one of the salad bar dips, suck it to check the taste , then use same finger to check out the other dips.

 

Unclean Thailand indeed.

This a why Hep A is so prevalent in Asia. We have a small mom/pop restaurant across the road from us and the unstiffled sneezes go on non stop ....

 

p.s. I was watching some sparrows flying around over the uncovered meat counter in Big C the other day plus seen the flies crawling over the meat in CP foods in Central .

Edited September 6, 2018 by sandrabbit

[recycler]

Happens all the time in Thailand that people touch the meat and other food with hands before buying, not just Chinese.

Just wash your food before you use it, you can never be shure they washed their hands.

Than what about the flies in the meat? Luckily they can't fly very far if there is too much shit on their legs ?

[rowan1981]

6 hours ago, wgdanson said:

Love it when a shop assistant puts latex gloves on to handle whatever food, and keeps them on to take your money.

And also  tie the plastic bag where you meat is placed inside with their meat dripping latex gloves. I often double up! 

[The Deerhunter]

6 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Become a vegetarian, then it won't bother you at all.

They squeeze the veges and you probably often eat them raw.  Your move!!

[SheungWan]

7 hours ago, Valentine said:

That kind of thing happens in the bakery section too, not only at Big C

Hang around the bakery section at Friendship and sooner or later a Westerner will poke away at some of the produce.

[tropo]

7 hours ago, exppenang said:

While shopping at Big C, I noticed a chinese man wandering around the meat and vegetable section. He had no shopping cart, no hand basket, and didn't have any items in his hands for purchase.

I went to the meat section to take a look. The man was at the counter, and picked up a strip of pork ribs with his bare hands. He took a few seconds to feel it, put it back, then picked up another piece, did the same thing. In all, he picked up four or five pieces.

When he was halfway through, I couldn't stand it anymore, and I told him "no, stop" and handed him a pair of tongs. He took the tongs, set them down, and proceeded to feel more meat.

I skipped the pork and picked up some chicken. When I was at the weighing counter, the man had moved onto the chicken bins, and started feeling again.

I pointed this out to the meat weigher, who had absolutely no response at all. Not a flinch. She stood there and watched him feel the meat. Even the local wet market vendors wouldn't let this happen.

It's no big deal really. Pork and chicken should be well cooked, so any bacteria the Chinese gentleman transferred to the meat will be killed. That open display meat is so full of bacteria, a few extra Chinese strains won't make any difference. It's all in your head. You sound like my wife, who insists I wash chicken before I blast it at 180C in the oven for an hour, or boil it for 90 minutes to make soup. Steak is a different matter as I cook it medium rare. Freezing it first is the best option if you want to eat Thai beef.

 

Having said that, not because I'm worried about bacteria in meat, I buy the packaged meat or meat that is behind the counter, away from the hands of customers. I don't like touching meat unless I'm in the kitchen.

[neeray]

31 minutes ago, sandrabbit said:

This a why Hep A is so prevalent in Asia. We have a small mom/pop restaurant across the road from us and the unstiffled sneezes go on non stop ....

 

p.s. I was watching some sparrows flying around over the uncovered meat counter in Big C the other day plus seen the flies crawling over the meat in CP foods in Central .

"unstiffled sneezes"

My wife and I were once dining in an upscale restaurant in Toronto. Her meal came, mine was to follow. We observed the waiter carrying my meal. Suddenly he sneezed, right onto MY plate of food. We called over the head waiter who offered to prepare a replacement. We declined and went elsewhere.

This doesn't just happen in "mom/pop" restaurants in Thailand.

[BoganInParasite]

I won't buy uncovered meat or bakery in Big C. I've seen too many flies on it. Bakery items are not a problem; I'm doing low carbs at the moment and losing weight. With pork I've found a CP Pork shop near the local market that is clean, well maintained and more importantly the meat is refrigerated correctly and covered.

[Naamblar2014]

Interestingly one day I seen a man digging through the pork.  Eventually he found a piece he liked.  He then proceeded to pull a knife from his pocket and trim up the meat to clear of all fat and anything else he didn't like.  Staff just looked on,  waited until he finished and removed his leftovers. 

[anon4637435435]

my wife complained about a thai guy at makro going through all the meat bare handed but to top it off he didn't even have and shoes on. looked like a homeless guy but did buy a sht load of meat. My wife first complained to a worker but he was deaf and didnt find out until approaching the manager. Fact is they didnt care and made us feel like up ourself aholes. Fact is we are dirty hardworkn farmers so we certainly dont fit that stereo type. We just have common descency, morals and such...

[wgdanson]

7 hours ago, neeray said:

I prefer virginal buns.

Me too ! Or did you mean vaginal?

[xylophone]

7 hours ago, neeray said:

I prefer virginal buns

Nothing like a nice set of buns!!

[jgarbo]

9 hours ago, stevenl said:

No, shouldn't happen.

 

Do you cook your meat before eating?

 

Hope you managed to regain some sleep after a nightmare like this.

I guess he was checking firmness of the meat. No problem unless you eat your pork raw. Do you?

[atyclb]

don't worry, the chefs at upscale restaurants wear latex gloves to relieve their scrotal and anal itching and to handle food, on occasion might even change gloves.

[xtrnuno41]

As far as i know and noticed, also on markets they pick up and feel. In indonesia, Philippines and Thailand.

Somehow its in the culture to pick up and just feel. Probably we broke with this tradition once.

Thailand now, my gf picks up shrimp and just feel, for me weird. After they touch, they wash their fingers in a bowl?!

But not before! I wonder when they change the water in bowl then again.  

If you try to tell it, they look as you are the stupid one.

Once i was with her buying pork with the local butcher, there was in front of house a big bowl cooking some "meat". ??

a woman was outside on the floor (where they later walk on) washing out guts. I didnt see any cooling what so ever, my gf said we had to go there in the morning as the pig has just been slain.  

Also once i was in Makro (phuket) , all the meat was floating in ice to cool, open wide ! Again a culture shock for me, it was as i said even the Makro ! Or try supercheap in phuket, the fresh meat section, same. Then the deep frozen section would be somehow better, it is frozen. But the fridges are not maintained, but work. But about contamination?

Would the working staff also clean their hand after going to toilet or so? I wonder.

Yeah its quite different then in western countries, but im still alive.

However if i go to butcher here, they pick up the meat with gloves and put it in a plastic bag then tie the plastic bag with the gloves on, so you could have contamination on the bags. Back home i will reorganize the meat again and take care for contamination. The counter is then empty, clean and later i clean again with chlorine.

But is the fixed package in supermarkets clean? You never know and just have to take all precautions yourself.

[rwill]

I see the meat dept in Makro pile raw meat into the shopping carts to stock it.  I doubt they wash them afterwards.  Then later you are using them for your groceries.  I have Thai friends when eating that do the same thing to food on serving plate.  Sit there and touch each piece with their hands before choosing that just right piece.

[natway09]

At least with meat it is going to be cooked.

Wash vegetables well but what to do with my crusty bread rolls ?

He needs a good kick up the arse & surprised no action taken by staff.

Try that in Big C Rama & & the farang butcher would have

[tandor]

9 hours ago, wgdanson said:

Love it when a shop assistant puts latex gloves on to handle whatever food, and keeps them on to take your money.

..and scratch her/his/their wots-it.

Edited September 6, 2018 by tandor

[smotherb]

9 hours ago, Valentine said:

That kind of thing happens in the bakery section too, not only at Big C

Try the fruits and vegetables too. However, it may need to be understood that feeling your produce, meat, bread is a common trait in China and elsewhere. No doubt, he was simply doing as he would at home.