'Unfit for human consumption' - Man Utd blasted for serving raw chicken to guests at Old Trafford which led to one-star food hygiene rating

According to Manchester Evening News,the Red Devils have been found guilty of serving raw chicken thighs to 30 attendees at the 'SHE' event on November 21, 2023, at Old Trafford, when they hosted the North West Safety Health Environment Show. Inspectors dealt with the incident very seriously, resulting in the football club's food hygiene rating plummeting from five to one.

Despite around 300 pieces of chicken being prepared for the event, only three trays, each with about 15 pieces, underwent proper checks. Consequently, 17 trays containing approximately 255 pieces of chicken were not inspected, and the temperature did not meet the standards before serving. Eight attendees initially reported the issue to staff, but the complaint fell on deaf ears. Subsequently, 30 individuals from both 'VIP' and 'non-VIP' areas also reported the same issue.

Following complaints, food hygiene inspectors visited the club three days later, and the Food Standards Agency later announced the need for 'major improvement' at the club.

The report titled 'Food Hygiene and/or Food Standards Intervention' read: "This puts persons eating the food at risk of consuming campylobacter and/or salmonella as the food has not undergone a thorough cooking process and therefore is unfit for human consumption. You must ensure food is thoroughly cooked before it is served to customers."

Despite these concerns, the cleanliness and condition of the facilities and building were rated 'good' by the authorities.

However, United have claimed it was an "isolated incident", and assured that the negligence has been addressed. A spokesperson for the club said: "Manchester United has one of the largest and most experienced food and beverage operations in world sport, with more than 250,000 people dining at the stadium restaurants and over 300 external events successfully delivered each year.

"Every matchday, the catering is enjoyed by over 8,000 people, served by 28 kitchens across the stadium, and the club is proud of the high standards and the 5-star food hygiene record which had been awarded to us for the past eight years. This was an isolated incident, and the point of failure was identified and addressed. Everyone at the club is determined to regain our 5-star food hygiene status as quickly as possible. To support that objective, we are conducting an independent food audit to identify any further opportunities for improvement."

December was a cruel month for United as they suffered losses to Newcastle, Bournemouth, West Ham and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. They were also ousted from the Champions League after they went down to Bayern Munich at home. United started the new year on a positive note, thanks to a 2-0 win over Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup, but were held to a 2-2 draw by Tottenham in their latest Premier League outing. They are currently on a mini-break and will return to action on January 28 against Newport Country in an FA Cup fourth-round tie.