While grocery shopping, sometimes customers spot concerning items on the shelves well before an employee does.
From moldy muffins at Target to a similar fungus growing on deli meat at Walmart, eagle-eyed shoppers have long shared their less than appealing finds in their local retailers via TikTok.
Most recently, a customer shopping at their local Dollar Tree showed the difference between two Hillshire brand small snacking plates containing Italian dry salami.
In the video, the poster points out the difference between two of what is purported to be the same plate, with one containing red salami, and another a greyed version of the cured sausage.
The difference was highly concerning, TikTok user @datstwente_ says in his video that has drawn over 843,000 views on the platform.
“I come over here, and I looked down,” he says in the video. “I know you see that. Look at this one, and look at this one. See that? That’s disgusting, bro.”
In a text overlay on the video, the poster elaborated that the packaging of the snacking plate is labeled with an expiration date in August 2024, meaning that the item should not have spoiled if stored properly.
“Get it together Dollar Tree,” a text overlay on the video reads. “Crazy [because] the packaging say it’s good until August 2024 and the packaging ain’t peeled open a lil or nun smh.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to @datstwente_ via comment on the video as well as TikTok direct message, in addition to Dollar Tree via email.
Per the U.S. Department of Agriculture, moldy food should be disposed of gently and in some kind of covering, to prevent spores from spreading to other foods stored nearby. As the snacking plate shown was preserved behind a plastic film, it is unclear whether it has in fact gone moldy, or simply spoiled on the shelf.
Some viewers shared their own theories of how the item went bad so far in advance of its expiry date.
“Salami doesn’t go bad if kept refrigerated but if it is exposed to oxygen then it will so most likely that has a hole somewhere,” one commenter wrote.
“It may not be expired BUT sometimes plastic it’s pierced or left out of the cooler too long,” another commented. “I won’t even buy the last of something cuz I’m afraid it was left out and put back.”
“Most probably it was left out overnight on a shelf and someone put it back in the fridge hoping to save it, is my guess,” a further user wrote.
@datstwente_ Spoiled #dollartree #spoiled #food #groceryshopping #explore #explorepage ♬ original sound – datstwente_
Others wrote that they had similar experiences of questionable food items at their local Dollar Tree, where they hesitated to purchase the refrigerated foods.
“Dude my dollar tree had expanding pizza sauces that were hissing,” one commenter wrote.
“I travel for work and shop at dollar tree because I get paid food money either way and keep the extra,” a second said. “My current one I’ve had to take hotdogs (a lot of them) up twice being out of date.”
“Those flavored milk drinks on the top shelf… I opened one and took a big chug and it was chunky,” a further user commented. “Gagged so hard. Wasn’t past the expiration date either.”
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