The customer allegedly made the grim discovery in a Tesco pre-cooked whole chicken.
Stock image(Image: Getty Images)
An investigation is underway after claims a “parasitic worm” was discovered in chicken purchased from a Scots Tesco supermarket.
The discovery was allegedly made in a Tesco pre-cooked whole chicken by Donald Cameron, 54, last October. The meat was purchased from the supermarket giant’s Inverness Ness Side Superstore.
Speaking to the Inverness Courier, Donald said: “Last October, I bought a cooked chicken from Tesco during the power cut. Just as I was finishing off my portion, I pulled a bit of the breast apart and saw a parasitic worm that had gone right through the chicken breast.
“I grew up in a rural community, beside a farm, and I have seen these things before. I know what a devastating health effect they can have. It was just disgusting – absolutely rank.
“You could see the wee holes and bruising where the worm had burrowed through the flesh.”
He added: “I’ve spoken to environmental health and they are investigating it now.”
However, Tesco has said the image shows a blood vessel, which is a normal feature of poultry, adding that “while this can look unpleasant, it is harmless if eaten”.
It is understood Tesco offered Donald £100 as a goodwill gesture, which he rejected. The matter is now being investigated by Highland Council’s Environmental Health team.
A spokesperson for the local authority said: “We can confirm that a complaint was lodged with The Highland Council on January 26, 2026 re this matter and it is currently under investigation by Environmental Health.”
A spokesperson for Tesco said: “We’re sorry to hear about Mr Cameron’s experience after raising a concern with a product. We work closely with our suppliers to ensure there are robust quality procedures in place for all products we sell.
“We have apologised to Mr Cameron and offered him a gesture of goodwill for the inconvenience caused.
“Our Technical team have reviewed this with our supplier. The image shows a small, naturally occurring blood vessel, which is a normal feature of Poultry. While this can look unpleasant, it is harmless if eaten.”
