Approximately 60 children at a daycare in Iittala, Hämeenlinna, were found to have consumed raw chicken during their lunch last Wednesday. The staff noticed mid-meal that the chicken was undercooked. This incident affected four different groups of children within the facility. The director of the daycare declined to comment on the matter when approached by Ilta-Sanomat.

The meals for the daycare are provided by Compass Group Finland Oy, a company that has since sent out a statement to the affected families acknowledging a mistake occurred. The food is prepared in the kitchen of Iittala School. According to Maarit Virkkala, the business director of Compass Group, the chicken was cooked in two different-sized trays in the oven, with the temperature measurement only taken from the smaller tray. While the larger trays had been in the oven longer, it was not sufficient to ensure proper cooking.

The incident raises significant concerns regarding food safety practices in daycare settings and the responsibility of meal providers in ensuring that food served to children is safe to consume. The company has issued apologies and likely faces scrutiny regarding their cooking and monitoring protocols to prevent such occurrences in the future.