'That's Bad': Shopper's Photo of Maggots on Chicken Shelf Sparks Food Safety Outrage

A South African shopper posted a shocking photo on 7 September 2026 showing maggots crawling on a refrigerated free-range chicken display shelf The image revealed larvae visibly moving between packaged chicken thighs priced up to R236 South Africans flooded the comments demanding to know which store branch was responsible for the disturbing discovery Packaged chicken in a frozen food aisle in a grocery store. Images: NurPhoto / Contributor/Getty Source: Getty Images A South African shopper raised alarm on X on 7 September 2026 after capturing something deeply unsettling in a grocery store's fresh meat aisle. The photo, posted by @Thatogatsi99, showed maggots crawling visibly across the surface of a refrigerated shelf stocked with packaged free-range chicken thighs, some priced as high as R236.51. The packaged products were labelled "Free Range Chicken," with labels promoting a diet of grains and fibre and instructions to keep the product refrigerated. What the worms actually mean Maggots in a refrigerated meat display point to one of several failures: a breakdown in cold chain management, a punctured or compromised package, or stock that was not rotated and removed before spoilage set in. In a properly functioning fridge case, temperatures are kept below 5°C, which prevents fly eggs from hatching. When larvae are visible and alive, it strongly suggests the meat spent time above that threshold. PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News. Under South Africa's Regulation R638, which governs food hygiene on premises, displaying or selling meat contaminated with insects or larvae is a criminal offence. The law also requires that perishable food be kept at or below 5°C at all times. Municipal Environmental Health Practitioners have the authority to inspect, seize contaminated stock, and shut down non-compliant premises under the National Health Act. Mzansi reacts to the chicken discovery South Africans were quick to respond, ranging from horrified to darkly humorous: @Missy_emporium said: "Aaah 😳😳😳 which one?" @heisalive4all joked: "Buy free-range chicken and get free-range worms for free." @ThabeloThononda added: "Extra protein, ask gym rats; they know." @Lenard77218 reacted: "Yoh I'm gonna chunder, that's bad." @LalusTradi68200 shared: "This is what made me stop eating KFC about 10 yrs ago. My mind is like there's far worse happening behind closed doors." @Titusson_Zealot weighed in: "Frozen pack would never do you like this... this thing of buying frost-free chicken is where the danger is. Chicken gets spoilt fast." @Goonerjohn2 simply asked: "What branch?" See the X post here. A cluster of living maggots. Images: Xvision/Getty Source: Getty Images More on food and cost of living going viral Source: Briefly News