Pregnant Woman Orders McDonald’s Latte, But Gets Served Cleaning Solution Instead

A McDonald’s franchise owner is now apologizing after a pregnant woman in Alberta, Canada was served cleaning solution instead of a latte. Sarah Douglas knew something was up when she took the first sip out of her to-go cup in the car. She told Lethbridge News Now that she, “threw her hazard lights on and pulled into the ditch and spit it out,” pretty much immediately.

Douglas is pregnant with her third child and returned to that McDonald’s location. Upon arrival, she learned that her latte had been mixed with cleaning chemicals mistakenly connected to the coffee brewer machine.

“I opened up the lid of the coffee and out pours this pungent smell of chemical. It wasn’t a latte at all,” Douglas recalled about the situation. The cleaning solution that Douglas learned about is apparently used to clean out milk residue. The warning label on the product states that it can cause allergic skin reactions and irritate the eyes.

Douglas also took it upon herself to look up the ingredients in the cleaning solution that she ingested. She immediately contacted a poison control center, fearing for not only her health but the health of her baby as well. These ingredients included fatty alcohol polyglycol aether and potassium metasilicate. Basically, if you can’t pronounce it, you probably shouldn’t ingest it.

A statement was issued on the situation by franchise owner, Dan Brown. The statement reads:

“Since learning about the complaint, our team has been in very close contact with the guest and apologized to her. The health inspector also visited my restaurant and is not investigating further.

McDonald’s is renowned for its food safety protocols and I am sorry that this happened in my restaurant here in Lethbridge.

What happened is that the machine was being cleaned – as it is every morning. Unfortunately, the milk supply line was connected to the cleaning solution while this guest’s drink was made.

We have taken immediate action to review the proper cleaning procedures with the team and have put additional signage up as an added reminder.”

Similar situations have arisen over the last few years, making the “accident” not too uncommon. In 2015, a man complained of cleaning solution in his McDonald’s tea. The customer was hospitalized after the fact. Back in 2013, a teenage boy became severely ill from ingesting cleaning solution in his iced tea. Both of these incidents resulted in lawsuits.

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