Date: 202010
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Other Preflight briefing
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Distraction; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Pre-flight
Result: General None Reported / Taken
Contributing factors: Company Policy; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Company Policy

Narrative: Flight ABBC; ZZZ-ZZZ1 was through catered from ZZZ1 via Flight ADCE ZZZ1-ZZZ. This is a normal procedure [for] this through catering. Changes in company catering/servicing has rendered it unsafe. The pilot and first-class passenger meals for the return flight are boarded in ZZZ1 before departure. After a five-hour block time; the aircraft sits on the ground in ZZZ for about eight hours. And while the ice has mostly melted by arrival; ZZZ (or ZZZ2 or ZZZ3) would historically provide sufficient ice to keep food for the return trip cool and safe to eat. That is no longer true.ZZZ no longer caters even ice or water. A query to the station for more ice was met with the reply; 'Due to COVID; we no longer do ANY catering.'The ice and dry ice (if dry ice was ever boarded; no one knows) was long gone by the time we boarded for the return flight. Compounding the lack of proper refrigeration; the preconditioned air at the gate was hot. As it was a 'terminating flight;' the previous crew had followed SOP and shut down the aircraft. Only preconditioned air was available. Unfortunately; the air provided made the aircraft stuffy and uncomfortably warm. I asked to see the crew meals for the flight. When the blue bag was opened; a horrendous stench filled the galley. The blue bags contained four crew meals; no dry ice; no dry ice packs. The putrid odor of decaying fish and something else; something really sour; was hideous and wafted throughout the forward cabin. Due to COVID and the time of departure; no restaurants in the airport were open. The crew had no option to purchase substitute meals. The significance of this is not to be missed--because this is a red-eye flight; the crew usually sleeps just prior to report. Sleep is prioritized over foraging for food. Crew members have the reasonable expectation that the contractually provided crew meals will be on board and edible. This is not the case.I have done several of these all-night flights now.  [Every] single one of these trips had no food for the crew due to spoilage. This is egregious and unacceptable. The passenger meals are equally affected. During COVID; most restaurants in town or at the hotels are simply not open. And; even if some are; a crew member and/or passenger expecting a meal doesn't go out and buy something for the trip.These through-catered meals are unsafe. They will poison. I worry about the passengers. They eat the meals they are served; fully expecting them to be safe. I also worry about pilots. Can you imagine both crew members getting ill at the same time? If they skip the crew meal (which most do; once they smell it) can you imagine the low blood sugar experienced having slept through one mealtime and then denied another? Shift work is hard enough. Skipping two meals is harder. There are physiological ramifications. I can only guess how OSHA or the FDA would feel about the food we are [providing]. Employees have a right to meal breaks; and meals. A quick search on the internet reveals this: Food like meat; poultry; milk and cream should be kept out of the Danger Zone (between 4degC / 40degF to 60degC / 140degF). Anything between that range is considered dangerous and can cause pathogenic toxins to be emitted; resulting in severe illness in the consumer. Another way to keep your food from spoiling is by following a four step system: Clean; Separate; Cook; Chill. This will reduce any risks.Company's current treatment of food is unsafe. It could cause severe illness or worse; not just in the passengers but in the crew. It's not a matter of if; but when.




Synopsis: Air carrier Captain reported food that is provided for passengers and crew is unfit for human consumption on specific flights.