Woolworths shopper's 'slimy' delivery divides Aussies
A chef has weighed into the debate over an unsightly deli product.
A Woolworths customer's disgust over a piece of ham has divided Aussies, with many sickened by the slimy-looking substance on top while experts say it's nothing to worry about.
The Reddit user shared a picture of the offending product, which shows it sitting on top of a rubbish bin, with a layer of sticky residue stuck between the top of the ham and a plastic bag
"Got this today from Woolworths delivery," he claimed. "There was a lot more slime when we initially opened the pack." The customer later explained that he'd "fished it out of the bin" to take the photo.
"That's absolutely foul," came a response, while someone else commented that "no meat should be slimy, that's a total write off". However, former deli workers chimed in to say the gooey coverage is to be expected in the packaging of smoked hams.
Why is the ham covered in 'slime'?
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Josh, a chef from Victoria, said the "slime" is perfectly normal, explaining that it's simply a glaze and is edible. "When you take the rind off, you get that coverage and because it's a ham, it's been cured, so that's how it comes out," Josh assured.
Woolworths also allayed any fears about the substance. "It is normal for smoked ham to have a degree of moisture on the outside of the product," a spokesperson for the supermarket giant told Yahoo.
"However, it is difficult to comment on this product without knowing where it came from and how long it may have been outside in the heat," the spokesperson added. "If the customer is concerned about the quality of the product we encourage them to contact us directly so we can look into it and replace it for them."
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