You never know what you’ll get with an in-flight meal — but this one came with an extra shocking surprise.
Earlier this month, a Delta Air Lines flight from Detroit to Amsterdam was forced to make an emergency landing at JFK Airport due to “spoiled food” that made passengers sick.
Though experts have said food safety regulations aren’t the strongest with airline food, is it possible to tell what in-flight meals are safe to eat and what to avoid?
Darin Detwiler, an associate teaching professor of food policy at Northeastern University and author of the book “Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions,” told Food & Wine that food safety issues is a potential problem across all airlines — and that it’s likely not “just a Delta issue.”
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does indeed regulate food safety for airline caterers and airlines, but Detwiler said that they aren’t inspected as often as restaurants.
Because of this, experts believe some foods are safer bets than others for in-flight meals, like opting for a pasta dish rather than something containing meat.
It can be tough to tell if chicken or meat is bad just by looking at it — unless it has visible mold. But “even then, you wouldn’t know until the minute you open the package,” Detwiler said, adding that if it’s covered in sauce or if the person is not paying full attention, it would be hard to notice.
Spoiled chicken may smell or taste “off,” but if it’s covered in sauce and flavoring, the bad smell or taste might be masked, food safety expert Ellen Shumaker, director of outreach for the Safe Plates program at North Carolina State University, told the outlet.
“The best way to reduce the risk of getting foodborne illness from chicken is to make sure that it is fully cooked using a food thermometer,” Shumaker shared.
In lieu of a food thermometer, which most passengers don’t carry on board, Detwiler suggested bringing homecooked food — the only way to guarantee safety standards are met.
“I know some people who will only bring their own food on the plane,” he said — and he isn’t the only one recommending travelers BYOF.
“For those who are concerned about food safety while traveling, they could consider bringing shelf-stable snacks for the plane like granola bars, trail mix, and nuts,” Shumaker said. “Also be sure to wash hands frequently while traveling.”
If you do happen to accidentally eat moldy in-flight chicken, the “causes of illness may be different depending on the situation,” Wade Syers, extension specialist for food safety at Michigan State University, explained. “Molds are generally thought of as spoilage organisms—microorganisms that make food look, taste, and smell bad.”
But some molds produce mycotoxins, toxic compounds that make people sick.
“Some mycotoxins can be very harmful. Some can also lead to gastrointestinal issues, like vomiting and diarrhea, and even neurological issues,” Detwiler said. “There are only so many bathrooms and resources to deal with this on a plane.”
Mold can also mean there is spoilage, which “does not cause foodborne illness but can cause upset stomach and nausea due to these off flavors and smells,” Shumaker said, adding that there’s also a risk of bacterial infections such as Salmonella or Campylobacter.
At the end of the day, the only sure way to make sure your food for your flight is good to eat is to pack your own.
