Woman declines $100 ‘goodwill’ offer for head in can of green beans

The Associated Press
Updated: 12:34 p.m. CT Oct 4, 2007

LEHI, Utah - An Arkansas company is offering $100 to a Utah woman who found a severed mouse head in a can of green beans if she pledges not to take legal action.

The letter from Allens Inc. of Siloam Springs, Ark., describes it as a "gesture of goodwill." Marianne Watson isn't interested.

"I won't sign it under any circumstances," she said.

Watson, 49, said she never wanted to take legal action.

She said she wants to "put enough media attention on them that they either withdraw those cans or do something other than what they're trying to do, which is shut me up."

Watson was cooking lunch for two sons Sunday when she said she found a severed mouse head in a can of Allens Cut Green Beans, which had been purchased at a Wal-Mart store in American Fork.

Allens spokesman James Phillips said the mouse probably was picked up during the harvest and did not originate in the canning factory. He called it an isolated incident.

"We apologize as much as we can, but we also do everything known from a technology standpoint and personnel standpoint to prevent it from happening," he said. "But inevitably, occasionally, things like this occur."

Watson said she may have the mouse remnants and green beans tested. She has refused to return them to the company.

"I was thankful I had a little soup earlier because I couldn't eat after seeing that," she said.

just 100 bucks?

What a bunch of cheap SOB's Now I would take legal action

ewww, creepy

Umm...did anyone wonder where the rest of the mouse went??

used to work for them and thats not all there is to the story

Just saw where a flavor of Campbell's Chunky Soup was being recalled because plastic was found in it. Between this, the hamburger recall, the bagged salad lettuce, and others, what's happened to standards? The only safe way to eat anymore, it seems, is to grow and prepare our own.

Yea, no kidding!

See ya at the compound, Knox!

What some don't know or don't understand and what others seem to forget, is that FDA standards allow a certain amount of 'debris' or foreign matter in every food industry.

The most strategic marketing measure would have been to immediatly 'prove' to the woman, and the public, that they were, themselves, appalled and therefore recalling the tainted products. As the woman did not eat the product, how much would she stand to win in a law suit? Her message was more of concern that the batch was still out there, and also what the conditions were/are at the factory.

Like I said, a good marketing department is sometimes the best defense. But it's not likely that the FDA would find conditions so bad as to close the factory. It's unbelievable how much debries (parts per thousand) is allowed in our packaged foods.

thanks, redy...i was about to say the same thing.

there are standards for roaches, mice droppings, rodents...all SORTS of things. max allowables and such...

heh, we found a bat in a jar of vlassic pickles.