Story Archive

Burned

The Allegheny County, Pa., Health Department issued a “consumer alert” for The Pittsburgh Popcorn Co. after finding mouse droppings “in the thousands” in a storage room, inside a popping machine, and inside bagged popcorn, it announced on its web site. Not so fast, the company said. “During the normal day course, black burnt popcorn hulls and kernels scatter throughout the store, which were misidentified and mislabeled by the department,” a spokesman said. “At no time were there mouse droppings on our poppers [or in] popcorn containers,” the spokesman said. “No mice ever came into contact with our food.” The Health Department declined to comment, but quickly reinspected the company — and rescinded the “alert.” (RC/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) ...“Alert” doesn’t describe the inspector, either.