The new episode of "Team Wallraff undercover" reveals disgusting conditions in various Burger King branches. Food inspector Maschke reacts with surprise. Because the food is delivered ready-made, the processes are standardized and there is internal control, at least in theory.
There are 2,500 food inspectors in Germany. They check in bakeries, restaurants, supermarkets and factories that everything is prepared hygienically, cleanly and safely. In their missions, they see many a grievance. What the RTL reporters from "Team Wallraff" documented during their research in five Burger King branches also shocked experienced inspectors.
The shelf life of food is simply extended by replacing stickers. Cold rooms are switched off in the meantime, although food is supposed to remain deep-frozen in them. Even the simplest hygiene measures such as washing hands after entering the toilet are not observed. "I'm shocked," says Maik Maschke ntv.de. He is chairman of the Federal Association of Food Inspectors and works as an inspector himself in Saxony.
System gastronomy, which also includes fast-food chains, is not exactly at the top of the list of companies to be checked. Maschke speaks of a low-risk operation from the point of view of the inspectors. This is because most of the food that is processed there is made in other companies, such as burger patties or rolls. In the branches, the minced meat slices are only fried, fresh vegetables are cut up, and the sauces are already ready and are only refilled. "Everything is usually specified, how it is to be handled, how and at what temperatures it has to be stored," says Maschke.
It is a system in which the risk analysis should actually work. "But you might have to rethink that," says Maschke in view of the shocking pictures of dried sauce, rolls eaten by mice and bad restaurant reviews, some of which also mention physical discomfort after eating. "The big chains have standards that have to be observed. But that also has to be controlled," says the food inspector. So far, it has been assumed that the internal controls at Burger King, for example, work.
However, the research by Team Wallraff shows that in at least one case the internal restaurant evaluation does not come as a surprise. In the branch of the franchisee F
Maschke can only speculate about the reasons that lead to the poor hygienic conditions. Normally, large fast-food chains are positioned in big cities where there is a lot of walk-in customers. This ensures that the food produced is also consumed quickly.
In their research, however, the RTL reporters repeatedly encountered problems with the so-called holding times. This is the time within which a food must be consumed. Burger King's internal policy requires a label to indicate when the product is to be discarded. In Bernau near Berlin, however, one of the reporters can regularly observe how the so-called holding times are being tricked out by removing the old label and replacing it with a new one with fresh holding times. "I don't want to talk about fraud now, but if the holding times are repeatedly extended, that's a system," Maschke estimates.
The food inspector suspects that there is a need for optimization in merchandise management. So much has to be ordered for the respective branch that there is enough food in stock, but as little as possible spoils. "Many bosses there don't seem to know what they're doing. Once there's a football game nearby, I need more offers than on another day. After that, you have to adjust the orders. That might not have been taken into account enough," says Maschke .
However, priority must always be given to ensuring that customers receive safe food. The entrepreneur is responsible for this, but also the employees. When he inspects a company, he not only looks for mold or rodents such as rats and mice, but also for the employees. "Are the employees no longer interested in anything or are they worried? I think the employees should also say, I think we can no longer sell it." However, he observes again and again that concerns about the job or a poor understanding of the language ensure that food hygiene is not given enough attention.
In many companies, the idea of not wasting food also plays a role. There are now enough opportunities in Germany for food to be passed on. For example, one could donate to the Tafel or develop dishes that can be prepared with food that is approaching its use-by date. "I'm from East Germany. Leftovers were used to make solyanka or stew or meat loaf with fillings," says Maschke.
The official food inspectors are already more than busy with the multitude of their tasks, and according to Maschke, the shortage of skilled workers is clearly noticeable in the industry. According to calculations by the Federal Association of Food Inspectors, up to 1,500 inspectors are missing. It takes two years to train new colleagues. For this reason, and also because of the legal framework, Maschke sees little opportunity for state controls to compensate for internal omissions.
As a customer, he likes to rely on his own judgement. "I pay attention to the environment, is the grass mowed, are the trash cans full or is there even garbage lying around?" In the branches you can see how full the tray trolleys are and how long the finished burgers have been kept warm. "You can see quite a few things there and a look into the toilet is the best sign of every restaurant." If it's not clean there, distrust is certainly appropriate.
