A shopper in Havana captured a video showing what appears to be a tick embedded in a piece of cheese she purchased at a local agricultural fair. This incident highlights the dire sanitary conditions surrounding the transportation and sale of food in Cuba's capital.
The video, shared on Facebook by the platform "Nio reporting a crime," underscores a broader issue: independent vendors are transporting sacks of cheese from other provinces, combined with chickens, goats, sheep, and other goods, all without any health safeguards. These items are primarily headed to San Miguel del Padrón, home to the well-known La Cuevita market.
"Inside a piece of cheese. Look at this. Where it was lodged. This is the last straw, you can't even enjoy a piece of cheese in peace. It's disgusting, I feel like vomiting," exclaimed the shopper in the video.
The platform had previously reported the presence of large quantities of cheese that appeared spoiled, possibly with larvae, intended for sale. However, this claim couldn't be independently verified.
Among the public comments on the video, some individuals with experience in food production offered technical insights: "Ticks tend to climb walls and might have been inside the mold. When the curdled milk was poured, the tick got trapped. This happens when molds aren't checked," explained one user.
Another comment pointed to production flaws: "The maker didn't strain the milk before cheese production."
Outrage mixed with resignation in the community's response. "We're in a rotten state, lacking everything," summarized one user, while another lamented, "And yet they sell it at a high price."
A third person expanded the concern beyond cheese: "Someone mentioned hygiene. Try buying chicken on San Rafael street, and then tell me about hygiene."
"Nio reporting a crime" questioned critically: "How many people are unknowingly consuming contaminated food? Where are the quality controls and Public Health authorities?"
The platform stressed that "we cannot normalize economic necessity as an excuse to endanger public health."
In a related incident from September, a woman in Morón found a cockroach inside a loaf of bread purchased from a street vendor, noting that finding foreign objects in food is "common."
Back in June, an activist documented the sale of fruits and vegetables in Havana, surrounded by garbage, while a biologist warned that "a gastroenteritis outbreak could occur in Havana at any moment."
Concerns About Food Safety in Havana
What incident highlighted the lack of food safety in Havana?
A shopper captured a video of a tick inside a piece of cheese purchased at a local fair, exposing the poor sanitary conditions of food transport and sale in Havana.
What other issues were reported by "Nio reporting a crime"?
The platform reported that vendors are mixing cheese with other goods like chickens and goats during transport without health safeguards, and that spoiled cheese with possible larvae was intended for sale.
How did the public react to the incident?
The public expressed outrage and resignation, with comments pointing out the lack of hygiene and the high prices of food despite poor conditions.