A mum of one is reportedly getting ready to take on the biggest name in fried chicken, after allegedly suffering from a violent bout of food poisoning following a meal at an Australian KFC. 25-year-old Alyssa Lee, a veterinary science student, claims that a meal purchased at a franchise near Townsville, Queensland, was seriously undercooked, leading to a protracted illness and thoroughly miserable experience.
According to an interview conducted by The Daily Mail, Lee had already eaten two pieces of the chicken, before breaking a piece apart a third for her two-year-old and realizing that something was wrong. Lee states that after realizing the bird was undercooked, she desperately tried to contact the store in question, and was ultimately forced to confront the manager after several unsuccessful contact attempts over the phone. As she puts it, things "escalated from there."
Describing the incident to a reporter, Lee said that “When it was worst, I had my head in a toilet bowl most of the day. If I wasn't (o)n the toilet I was in bed. I had to ask friends and family to look after my son because I couldn't.” She also revealed that multiple home visits from her doctor produced a diagnosis of the sapa virus, norovirus, stomach flu and a parasite known as Giardia Instestinalis. Lee also claims that she has continued to experience symptoms throughout the months since the incident.
Despite Lee’s testimony and several compelling accompanying photographs, KFC dispute the story. The franchise has commented, “We are sorry to learn of Mrs Lee’s illness, but we do not believe this was caused by KFC,” adding that, “As this is a legal issue, we cannot comment further.”
Though she initially demanded a refund, Lee claims that money has never been a motivator. Speaking to the Daily Mail, she revealed, “I didn't do this for money. I've never claimed for compensation in my life. No one in my family would do this for money. I want to prove negligence because what is happening is disgusting. Since my food poisoning, I have heard so many worrying similar stories. I was sick for about four weeks and had to go on three rounds of medication but I still experience bouts of nausea and vomiting now – three months on.”
Though the circumstances of Lee’s experience are certainly extreme, incidents such as this are more common than you might think. According to solicitor Glenn Brown, whose firm are representing Lee, “Unfortunately, food poisoning incidents are not uncommon and people can underestimate its seriousness as a result. But the reality is that food poisoning can be extremely serious, even fatal. It can leave people with post-infectious conditions for years afterwards. Most importantly, there is no excuse for it, because it is entirely preventable if retailers comply with safe food handling standards.”
The prospect of undercooked chicken is enough to make anyone paranoid. Tales of hours spent glued to the toilet and stories of unexpected salmonella are enough to make anyone think twice before tucking into something even slightly pink. However, even if you’re extra careful, Lee’s story proves that accidents can still happen.
