A shopper was left “disgusted” after discovering something that looked like an animal’s poo in her salad.

She had almost finished her lunch, which she had bought from Sainsbury’s, in Pepper Hill, Northfleet, when she noticed the odd lump.

Alina, who did not wish to give her surname, originally thought it was a piece of hardened cheese but on closer inspection saw it was something “much more disgusting”.

She told KentOnline: “I had already eaten most of the salad bowl when I saw it. I looked like a bird or rat poo right at the bottom.

“I am so used to eating on the go and usually it is OK so I did not think to look before starting the food.

“I was disgusted throughout the day. To find it when you have already eaten, I wanted to throw up. I could not eat properly for the rest of the day.”

The 33-year-old purchased the £2 ready-to-eat tomato and Italian cheese salad bowl with a balsamic vinegar dressing last Monday (August 16) to eat the following day.

As soon as she discovered the rogue item Alina, who visits the store almost every day, called the customer service team to inform them what had happened.

She said she was offered a £10 voucher and to return the salad bowl so it could be sent for testing.

This is not the first time such an item has been found in a Sainsbury’s product.

Last year, a woman found a similar lump in the same type of salad which she had bought from the supermarket in Simone Weil Avenue, Ashford.

Speaking at the time, a Sainsbury’s spokesperson told KentOnline: “Cases like this are extremely rare and we will investigate with our supplier.

“We have apologised to the customer for her experience and offered a gesture of goodwill for the inconvenience.”

However, Alina has questioned how this could happen again and called for the supermarket giant to investigate its suppliers.

She added: “This has not just happened to me, it has been reported to them before.

“It is absolutely disgusting. It is unacceptable and needs investigating. It is clearly not a one-time thing.”

A Sainsbury's spokesperson confirmed it is in touch with the customer to investigate the incident further.