Towards the end of August, Nombulelo Mkumla shared a video on social media of the incident, only finding the rodent, reportedly a rat, baked and sliced into her meal after eating a few slices.

Sasko – which falls under Pioneer Foods – came under fire over the clip, which has gone viral on social media.

In her Facebook post, Mkumla stated that she returned the bread to the store where she purchased it, received a full refund, and was instructed to file a complaint with the supplier.

After contacting the supplier, she said she received a phone call from a person who assured her that eating the bread with the rodent would not harm her health.

Since then, Sasko responded to the incident with a statement assuring the public that they take hygiene and safety seriously. They highlighted their strict quality control measures and the steps they’ve taken to investigate the situation.

Sasko emphasised its commitment to delivering safe, high-quality products, working with the relevant health authorities to address the issue.

This incident was treated as an isolated case, and Sasko ensured corrective actions would be implemented to prevent any recurrence.

It remains unclear how the rat came to be found within the loaf of Sasko Low GI Seeded Whole Wheat brown bread.

An investigation is still underway.