A four-inch long thread has been found in a bottle of MD Tropical Fruits Jam, prompting the consumer to ask how a certified, export-quality brand could be so negligent.

Nishan Rathnayake, in an email addressed to the Sri Lanka Standards Institute (SLS), asked how a piece of thread, clearly visible to the naked eye, could have been passed by quality control to the market.

“If this was exported to a foreign market, there would be huge damage to Sri Lanka’s reputation and export industry,” he said.

Rathnayake asked that the SLSI investigate the incident and take legal action against Lanka Canneries (Pvt.) Ltd., without favour.