You are probably wondering why you seem to always find hair in your food, whenever its at home or at a restautant (which is worse.). Many people can’t even proceed eating because they have such an ick towards that – which is understandable. Hair itself isn’t harmful because it has less to no bacteria on it, the thought of eating hair still gives most people the ick. There even is a phobia named “trichophobia” which makes people fear for hair anywhere. And especially in food.
Why Hair Finds Its Way Into Your Food
Cooking a meal is a stressful thing, especially if its for more than one person, while almost all restaurants have certain health guidelines they have to abide, there is always a way a strain of hair will find its way into your food. Some smaller restaurants mostly use normal chef hats, and some not even that.
Not The Right Guidelines
While most professional restaurants have certain kitchen guidelines like “hair nets” so that no hair will find its way into the food, many still don’t. Thats why in the hurry of cooking a hair can fall off and directly into the food. If you find hair in your food at your local restaurant, kindly make them aware of it, it mostly is a very embarrassing accident and shouldn’t happen.
Hair on Clothing
While hair nets prevent hair from falling into the food, there is still a possibility that there is a hair stuck on your or the chefs clothing, may it be taken with them from home, from outside or somewhere else. Then it might happen that the air falls off – and directly into the food.
Hairs Love to Float
Hairs are very lightweighted, means they can easily float through the air, and find its way into the kitchen. This is a one in 1000 chance but it can happen.
What You Should Do When Finding Hair in Your Food
Immediately call the waitress and make them aware of it, while it can happen, it is your right to return the food and get a new one, preferably without any hair in it. If it happens multiple times you should avoid this place in the future.
If you are cooking at home and find hair in your food its simple to remove it and keep eating, it might be disgusting, but your own hair is a lot different than a strangers hair. And if you don’t find a second or third one, you should be fine.
Is Swallowing Hair Healthy?
No. Ingesting hair isn’t healthy at all, it might not be a huge danger if its one hair, but you should avoid swallowing hair, when ingesting too much hair, you risk blocking up your intestines. Hair also carries bactiera, which can lead to more serious problems.
Is Hair A Physical Contaminant?
Yes, hair counts as a physical contaminant next to metals or stones, or parts of insects. Due to the risk of bacteria arriving into your body by ingesting hair, it is counted as a contaminant. Thats why its totally okay to re-order or get a refund, even if its only 1 hair you found.
What Diseases Can You Get From Swallowing Hair?
When swallowing hair you could become nauseas, start vomitting or choke on it (especially if the hair keeps food together). But you are also at risk for infecting yourself with a ringworm or fungal infections.
Conclusion
Finding hair in food is a terrible experience for most, and thats understandable. You are fully in the right when complaining to your restaurant about it, or if you refuse to keep eating it. You should avoid swallowing hair and change your favorite place if it occurs more than it should.
