Half-eaten piece of chewing gum found on Tesco pizza

A teenage Birmingham boy has been put off Italian food for life after biting into a Tesco pizza and discovering a half-eaten piece of chewing gum. The pizza was from Tesco’s Italian range and bought from the Tesco Extra store in New Oscott. Mother-of-three Jamie Fowler, aged 30, said she already struggled for what to cook her 13-year-old son Callum, who has cystic fibrosis and needs a diet rich in fat, salt and calories.

But now his favourite dish is off the menu after he nearly swallowed the masticated gum. “I think it’s disgusting,” said Jamie, who is a full-time carer. “I’d cut the pizza in half and given half to Callum and half to my other son Ollie. I was upstairs when Callum shouted up, ‘Mum, there’s something on my pizza.’



“I came downstairs and I couldn’t believe it when I saw it. It was a chewed up piece of gum. It’s disgraceful. Obviously the person making the pizza was munching away and it fell out of their mouth. I can’t believe they just left it there. Callum said he’ll never eat another pizza. Just the thought of it makes him ill.”

Jamie took the offending pizza into the shop for a refund and to demand an explanation but was told the complaint would be dealt with at head office. She has since received a letter of apology and a £10 Tesco voucher. A Tesco spokesman said they had written to the pizza makers and would respond again to Mrs Fowler once they were clear of the circumstances. ”We are sorry for this unpleasant find,” he said. “We are currently investigating with our supplier.”