SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. — In light of a viral video out of a central Massachusetts town, the health department and police are working together to gather new details about allegations of food contamination.
Last week, Boston 25 obtained a video that appears to show a McDonald’s employee putting fries in their mouth and back into a box to presumably be served. Their coworkers in the video appear to be laughing alongside.
The video has been circulating on social media — shocking nearby residents and customers who frequent the restaurant.
Daniel Wasiuk, the director of health for Southbridge, said his phone’s been ringing off the hook since the video surfaced last week.
“It has been one of the busiest weeks and weekends that I’ve seen in a while, unfortunately,” he told Boston 25 on Monday. “Whether it was done for mischief reasons, a prank, or revenge, it certainly is unfortunate.”
He said they’re combing through weeks of video at the E Main Street McDonald’s to determine when the allegations occurred and whether the fries reached any customers.
Police told Boston 25 that no victims have been identified, and as of Monday, no victim has come forward.
“McDonald’s was very assertive with their process, and did report it to the health department,” Wasiuk said. “Let’s hope they use this as a learning moment. But right now, we are doing what we can.”
Wasiuk told Boston 25 that his department will visit every food vendor in town this month to enforce training and retraining, if needed.
Franchise owners of the restaurant, Spadea & Balducci Family, told us Monday:
“The actions of these individuals are unacceptable and do not reflect our organization’s food safety standards or values. Immediately upon learning of the incident, the individuals were suspended, and after conducting an internal investigation, they are no longer employed by our organization.
We are proactively working with local authorities and the local health department, who have found no public health concerns or violations. The well-being and safety of our Southbridge community remains our top priority, and we will continue to take swift, appropriate actions as needed.”
The investigation is active and ongoing.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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