A viral video of fruit flies on donuts at a Tim Hortons restaurant has social media users disgusted, and an expert warns of the dangers that come with consuming foods that come in contact with the common pest.
In the 15-second TikTok video, fruit flies are seen crawling on multiple chocolate dip donuts in the baked goods display at an undisclosed Ontario location of the restaurant chain.
“Is this the new normal?” the TikTok user who posted the video asked, while tagging both of Tim Hortons’ English and French accounts on the platform.
Social media users are repulsed at the video, with some saying the footage was the nail in the coffin for them in refusing to purchase food from the restaurant entirely.
“That’s why I don’t buy Tim Hortons donuts,” one user commented under the TikTok. “They still have not done anything to fix this problem.”
“Alright that’s it. I’ll spend the extra money to go to Starbucks instead,” another disappointed user said.
Several users asked for the TikTok poster to identify the restaurant, to which one user replied that the poor quality experience is relatively the same in any Tim Hortons restaurant you visit.
“It doesn’t really matter the location because this is common at almost every Tims,” the user said.
In an email on Wednesday, Tim Hortons told Now Toronto that the quality of service shown in the video is not up to their standard and will be investigating the incident further.
“At Tim Hortons, we pride ourselves on serving guests with a high standard of quality, care and cleanliness. This experience does not meet our standards and we have been in touch with the restaurant who will be conducting a further review,” the restaurant chain said.
Some users are pointing out that fruit flies are a common occurrence, especially in the summer around high-sugar content foods like donuts.
However, an expert says that consumers should beware if the pest is seen on food items, as it could be an indicator of unclean practice.
Toronto Metropolitan University Associate Professor and food safety expert Ian Young says that while fruit flies are normally recognized as a nuisance, studies have shown that they can transfer bacteria between surfaces and food items that can cause foodborne illness.
“They have been shown to be able to pick up E. coli and transfer it between surfaces and foods in experimental studies,” Young explained to Now Toronto, in an email on Wednesday.
Young says the presence of flies could pose an increased food safety risk, as they could pick up bacteria from breeding or resting sites, such as garbage, sink drains or the floor and transfer it to ready-to-eat foods. He urges that restaurants with flies, and any other type of insect such as cockroaches, should review their pest control and management practices.
“Their presence could indicate unsanitary or unhygienic conditions that are allowing the flies to breed, which should be reviewed, investigated, and remedied,” Young said.
