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Airplane Food Gets Even More Revolting

14 Replies

This is a guest blog post by Chef Rob Endelman.

As if airline food isn’t awful enough, those still eating the carriers’ meals (when offered) now have unsanitary conditions on the aircraft themselves to worry about.

The following is an excerpt from a warning letter the Food and Drug Administration sent to Delta Airlines a few weeks ago:

To comply with 21 CFR 1250.30(a), all places where food is prepared, served, or stored shall be constructed and maintained as to be clean and free from flies, rodents, and other vermin. However, our investigator observed the following evidence of rodent activity on your aircraft:

  • Approximately 8-11 rodent excreta pellets above the right door panel in the forward galley (G1) where food is prepared by flight personnel;
  • Approximately 10-20 rodent excreta pellets above the left door panel in the forward galley (G1) where food is prepared by flight personnel;
  • Approximately 9-15 rodent excreta pellets on the right aisle of the aircraft over seats C3-C7;
  • Rodent excreta pellets (too numerous to count) in three areas in ceiling panels located in the middle cross over galley G2, which is directly over places where food and drinks are stored in the aircraft; and
  • Mammalian urine in six areas on ceiling panels located in the middle cross over galley G2.

Our laboratory analysis of samples collected during the inspection confirmed the presence of rodent excreta pellets and rodent urine stains in the aircraft.

Instead of relying on the airlines’ food, here are some ideas for easy-to-make meals that work great for air travel:

  • Sliced chicken breast sandwich with avocado, cheese, tomato, lettuce, mustard. Feel free to substitute sliced steak for chicken or leave out meat for vegetarian version.
  • Sautéed or raw vegetables and (pick a protein) over brown rice or quinoa.
  • Whole wheat pasta with meat sauce. (It’s better than you think at room temperature.)

What are your favorite carry-on airplane meals?

Rob Endelman is a chef who, in addition to teaching cooking technique, empowers people with the knowledge to make better choices when it comes to buying and preparing food.  He believes that a lack of awareness about our industrial food supply has contributed to the increase in modern diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cancer.  Through The Delicious Truth and Cook with Class, Chef Rob helps people understand, identify and avoid hormones, antibiotics, pesticides and synthetic additives.

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  • WF

    I find it terribly ironic that, in an article food safety concerns on airplanes, the author is recommending that airline travelers make, pack, and carry-on their own meals – which includes carrying around food that should be kept refrigerated!

    Cooked leftovers (like meat sauce, chicken breast…) shouldn’t be at room temperature for more than an hour or two. I know when I travel – from the the time I leave home, drive to the airport, check in, get through security, and get to my gate – way more than an hour or two would have past from the time I packed a meal at home.

    • Phinemamma

      I would personally make the intelligent assumption that I should pack my lunch in a soft cooler and my pasta would go in a thermos container. Nothing better to do?

    • 2boymom09

      I agree, I just got off a flight- and had I even been allowed through security with any of this, I wouldn’t have eaten it after that amount of time.

    • Mr. Bill

      Is there some risk to allowing your food to sit a room temperature for a little while? Sure, but risks associated with one activity must be compared to the risk of not doing it. So, let’s say you don’t bring your own food. The way I see it you either don’t eat or you eat unhealthy airline/food court junk. Not eating is a bad idea since you will need some energy to get you through a stressful day. So then the question is this: is the airline/food court food any safer than brining food cooked at home? If you prepare the food properly and immediately pack it I a clean container, I think the risker option is to eat at the airport.

    • Charlotte

      We have a little cooler that I do believe was intended to be used for 6-packs of canned beer. It has never been used for that, but it HAS been used to carry and keep my sons formula chilled as well as food when we’re out travelling. No, it won’t keep food chilled for a transatlantic flight, but it will last for 3-4 hours at least.

      And when we’re done, it can be folded flat, and takes up next to no space in our bags. :)

  • David Pool

    For much the same reasons mentioned by WF, I certainly wouldn’t prepared some of these items. Frankly, I wouldn’t prepare anything like an entree…I need to pack stuff that’s small and can fit into the nooks and crannies of a carry-on bag. I’m pretty happy with a homemade sandwich and some snack-size servings of other items I’ve brought (that I feel good about eating)…and some fruit.

  • http://profiles.google.com/louise.aspden Louise Aspden

    OMG – Revolting. Remember, they won’t let you bring some of this through security depending on your destination. I pack a lunch for my husband when he is flying within Canada…but to go to the U.S. you can’t bring much with you.

  • Mr. Bill

    What on his list can’t you bring through security? A thick meat sauce is kind of a liquid, yes, but mix it with the noodles pre-airport and you will not get questioned. All of the other items are clearly solids.

    Also, the little food I have had on a plane recently wasn’t actually that bad. Better than fast food. Although rodents on the plane is troubling, not only form a sanitary stand point, but also for safety. Rodent chew things and there are thing on a plane that should not be chewed.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=701811355 Katie Tasky

    I’m surprised this wasn’t about what the food was actually made of. They’re not the most appealing meals, but I had some pretty tasty gellato on the way back from Europe on the plane.

  • Mike

    Get a kosher meal. All sealed so there’s no chance of contamination.

  • Debi

    Our family travels frequently. Our favorite meal to take along is a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter and apples. I also wouldn’t want to take something that requires a cool pack or special containers.

    Also, many restaurants have the same problem as the airline noted.

  • Qwiksilver

    They call dry chicken on lettuce between hardtack a sandwich. I bring my own nibbles. Baggies of crackers, nuts, dried fruit and jerky. I can eat when I please and things I like. No worries about refrigeration and no one at TSA has questioned a dried cranberry.

  • hksparky

    Air Asia has a yummy Nasi Lemak. Dreadful….but I fly infrequently enough to consider it a yummmy cheat!

  • Dazad

    I wouldn’t worry about the dangers of eating the food on the plane, it’s the little varmits I’d worry about! Rats and mice are known for chewing through wiring systems of cars and I’m sure they have no preference as to whether or not they’re eating “Airline wires”.