Iron in tea buns!

Dr. Tilak S. FERNANDO

IRON FOOD: We have all heard about the ' iron' element and its food value in various foodstuff that we consume, but have you ever heard or seen 'Iron' in rusted form in the shape of inch long nails in 'Tea Buns' anywhere?

Well! This was the experience of a motor car mechanic in Borella when he purchased a tea bun during his morning tea break last week from Lanka Hotel, 149/B, Castle Street, Colombo 8.

It was a sheer stoke of luck that the person did not swallow it without first watching or breaking the bun into two.

This iron revelation has been brought to the notice of the bun-maker concerned immediately by the employer of the motor garage where the mechanic works; Regrettably the response from the bakery had only been that someone would call back, which has not happened up to the time this was revealed - for nearly a week after the complaint now.

In the meantime in an attempt to nail down this bakery, the incident has been brought personally to the chairman of the Consumer Affairs Authority who has given strict instructions to send the bun in question with its wrapping for their inspection and necessary action.

However, the mystery remains as to how such a long rusted nail got into the dough of a bun? Was it sabotage by an irate employee of the bakery or was it a dirty trick of a rival bakery to discredit the bun baker by devious means?

In the meanwhile there is much hullabaloo among the employees of the motor garage, not to mention the anger, due to the non-response to their complaint.

Whatever the cause may be, and whichever way the nail managed to get into the bun, there poses a serious threat to consumer health in general in such circumstances.

Undoubtedly this is an important issue for the Health and Consumer Affairs Authority to deal with, in the light of people's health and take remedial action immediately. Anyone wishing to inspect the nail in the bun could contact Bernard on 077 303 2264.