An Auckland mum got a shock after finding an insect larvae had made a home inside her son's chocolate bar.
Teresa Stevens, from Papakura, bought the Whittaker's Sante Bar from a local shop on Sunday.
She purchased the bar as a special treat for her son who lives with special needs after he had a good week at school.
But the pair were left disappointed when he peeled back the wrapping only to find the larvae nestled into a groove in the chocolate.
"I was speechless when I saw it. My boy on the other hand was broken-hearted," Stevens said.
The concerned mum went back to the shop and let them know what she had found.
A store worker told 1News he had spoken with Stevens about the issue but was adamant it didn't come from his store.
The man says he keeps the shop counter where it was sitting clean and tidy and has never had any issues in the past.
Stevens also called Whittaker's who said they would get back to her.
She wants other people to be aware they might be biting into more than they bargained for, and to double check purchased food, especially when it's being given to kids.
A Whittaker's spokesperson told 1News they have taken the necessary steps to investigate the issue and have worked to rectify the matter with the customer.
"We’re sorry to hear that this situation has occurred and that a Whittaker’s Chocolate Lover has experienced the disappointment of not being able to consume the bar they purchased. Unfortunately, despite all the rigorous quality control processes we have in place, there are things outside of our control that can result in a situation like this," it said.
"We have a comprehensive pest control programme in place at our factory, which is run by an accredited pest control company, and our operations are fully compliant with all food safety requirements. However, there are other ways product quality can be affected, for example from damage in transit or storage conditions in warehouses.
"We have thoroughly investigated this specific situation and remain confident in the robustness of the quality control processes we have in place. We have also sent the consumer who purchased this bar, some replacement chocolate."
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