This is the moment a ‘traumatised’ mother discovered a toad inside her Sainsbury’s parsnips and narrowly avoided being ‘poisoned’.
Karen Bennett, a charity worker from Kent, found the common toad inside her Taste the Difference British Heritage Baby Parsnips, which she bought from Sainsbury’s in Sittingbourne.
She told MailOnline: ‘I was making a Sunday roast dinner, cutting up carrots, and I went to open the bag.
‘I dropped my scissors and screamed. I had a bit of a panic attack. I couldn’t work out what it was.
‘I was screaming and jumping around the kitchen and my husband and son came to my rescue.
‘It was shocking. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I am traumatised by it. It’s taken me days to get over it. He looked like he was smiling when I first saw him.’
Nippy, who Mrs Bennett named after the parsnips, spent five days inside her fridge before he was discovered.
Karen Bennett bought the Taste the Difference baby parsnips from Sainsbury’s in Sittingbourne
The toad, now named Nippy, spent five days in Mrs Bennett’s fridge before being discovered by the mother
‘I dropped my scissors and screamed. I had a bit of a panic attack. I couldn’t work out what it was’, said Mrs Bennett
‘I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I am traumatised by it. It’s taken me days to get over it,’ she added
‘The worst bit is what the poor toad has gone through. First it has been washed, dried and sealed. My main concern was for the little toad.’
‘He was still intact unbelievably. No legs lost. I was concerned that I added to its trauma. It put me off parsnips for a while and I love parsnips.’
A common toad may emit poison from the glands on the back of its head when feeling threatened.
‘Had we eaten parsnips we could have been poisoned,’ Mrs Bennett said. ‘He would have been scared and might have secreted on the parsnips.’
The traumatised mother tried to contact Sainsbury’s but is still awaiting a response.
‘I emailed Sainsbury’s nine days ago and I got an automated response,’ she said.
‘I called them and they said wait for an email. I’ve not had much joy yet. I’m certainly going to check everything I buy.
‘I’ve been put off Sainsbury’s for a while. Their quality control can’t be very good. It’s a large toad, it’s gone through cleaning and packaging.’
Mrs Bennett took Nippy to a wildlife centre where he is recovering.
‘They had a pad ready with mealworms,’ she said. ‘I’ve asked for updates and he’s looking stronger now than when I first saw him, which is wonderful. Lots of people have been asking. It’s a happy ending for the poor little fella!’
She said she hopes to visit him in the spring before the toad is released into the wild.
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘We have strict quality control measures in place to prevent this type of thing from happening and are investigating this rare experience with our supplier.’
This is the not the first time an amphibian has been spotted in a Sainsbury’s product
A live frog was previously found hopping around a sealed Sainsbury’s salad bag.
Maddie McIvor was offered a £20 Nectar points voucher after she discovered the amphibian in her £1.30 watercress, spinach and rocket bag, which she bought from a North Clapham store.
A live frog was found in a Sainsbury’s Watercress, Spinach and Rocket salad bag that was bought at a store Clapham, London
Maddie McIvor, 27, found the frog when she went to make a salad
Sainsbury’s offered Ms McIvor a £20 Nectar points voucher in compensation. ‘I was so surprised and my housemate just didn’t believe me,’ she said
‘I was so surprised and my housemate just didn’t believe me,’ she said.
‘The good news is the frog was released into our garden. However, this is not acceptable and so unhygienic to say the least.
‘I sent a message to Sainsbury’s and they offers a £20 Nectar points voucher.’
Sainsbury’s customer service said they were ‘glad’ the lettuce wasn’t eaten and later offered to increase the gift card to £30.
