SAYS YOU SHOULD BE CAREFUL WHEN ORDERING AN IN-FLIGHT MEAL.

ORDERING AN IN-FLIGHT MEAL. >> Reporter: SO MANY OPTIONS AT

>> Reporter: SO MANY OPTIONS AT 30,000 FEET.

30,000 FEET. HUMUS, SANDWICHES, EVEN HOT

HUMUS, SANDWICHES, EVEN HOT WHEELS.

WHEELS. BUT SKY HIGH DINING CAN BE

BUT SKY HIGH DINING CAN BE RISKY.

RISKY. >> ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF THE

>> ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF THE WAY THROUGH THE FLIGHT I START

WAY THROUGH THE FLIGHT I START FEELING REALLY BAD.

FEELING REALLY BAD. >> Reporter: FREQUENT FLYER

>> Reporter: FREQUENT FLYER JASON ALDERMAN SAID HE GOT FOOD

JASON ALDERMAN SAID HE GOT FOOD POISONING AFTER EATING DUCK

POISONING AFTER EATING DUCK RAVIOLI ON A FLIGHT LAST YEAR.

RAVIOLI ON A FLIGHT LAST YEAR. >> MOST INTENSE SICKNESS I'VE

>> MOST INTENSE SICKNESS I'VE EVER HAD.

EVER HAD. >> Reporter: HE SAID HE REPORTED

>> Reporter: HE SAID HE REPORTED THE ILLNESS TO THE AIRLINE AND

THE ILLNESS TO THE AIRLINE AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH HIS LOCAL

FILED A COMPLAINT WITH HIS LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THEN

HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THEN NOTHING.

NOTHING. >> REALLY FELT LIKE NO ONE WAS

>> REALLY FELT LIKE NO ONE WAS CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY.

CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY. IT FEELS LIKE THINGS LIKE THIS

IT FEELS LIKE THINGS LIKE THIS CAN BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO

CAN BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.

HAPPEN. >> Reporter: THE CDC SAYS ABOUT

>> Reporter: THE CDC SAYS ABOUT 48 MILLION AMERICANS GET FOOD

48 MILLION AMERICANS GET FOOD POISONING EACH YEAR BUT HOW MANY

POISONING EACH YEAR BUT HOW MANY CASES FROM AIRPLANE FOOD?

CASES FROM AIRPLANE FOOD? EXPERTS SAY IT'S HARD TO TRACK

EXPERTS SAY IT'S HARD TO TRACK BECAUSE PASSENGERS MAY NOT GET

BECAUSE PASSENGERS MAY NOT GET SICK RIGHT AWAY AND SCATTER TO

SICK RIGHT AWAY AND SCATTER TO DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS.

DIFFERENT DESTINATIONS. HOW SAFE IS THIS FOOD?

HOW SAFE IS THIS FOOD? NBC NEWS LOOKED THROUGH 1,000

NBC NEWS LOOKED THROUGH 1,000 PAGES OF FDA INSPECTION REPORTS

PAGES OF FDA INSPECTION REPORTS FOR THREE MAJOR AIRLINE CATERING

FOR THREE MAJOR AIRLINE CATERING COMPANIES SINCE 2012.

COMPANIES SINCE 2012. WE MADE FOOD VIOLATIONS THAT

WE MADE FOOD VIOLATIONS THAT MIGHT MAKE YOUR STOMACH TURN.

MIGHT MAKE YOUR STOMACH TURN. FLIES, RODENTS, DEAD ROACHES,

FLIES, RODENTS, DEAD ROACHES, DIRTY PANS AND UTENSILS MARKED

DIRTY PANS AND UTENSILS MARKED AS CLEAN AND LIQUID DRIPPING

AS CLEAN AND LIQUID DRIPPING FROM RAW BIKEN ONTO COOKED

FROM RAW BIKEN ONTO COOKED BACON.

BACON. DRIED FOOD DEBRIS ON CUTTING

DRIED FOOD DEBRIS ON CUTTING BOARDS.

BOARDS. AT FLYING FOOD GROUP, A LIVE

AT FLYING FOOD GROUP, A LIVE BIRD INSIDE ONE FACILITY AND TWO

BIRD INSIDE ONE FACILITY AND TWO INSTANCES OF LISTERIA.

INSTANCES OF LISTERIA. FOOD SAFETY EXPERT IS A FORMER

FOOD SAFETY EXPERT IS A FORMER GOVERNMENT FOOD INSPECTOR WITH

GOVERNMENT FOOD INSPECTOR WITH MORE THAN 40 YEARS OF

MORE THAN 40 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.

EXPERIENCE. HOW CAN PIECE TYPE OF VIOLATIONS

HOW CAN PIECE TYPE OF VIOLATIONS MAKE PEOPLE SICK?

MAKE PEOPLE SICK? >> BY ALLOWING THE BACTERIA TO

>> BY ALLOWING THE BACTERIA TO GROW OR BY ALLOWING THE BACTERIA

GROW OR BY ALLOWING THE BACTERIA TO GET ON THE FOOD AND SURVIVE

TO GET ON THE FOOD AND SURVIVE TO THE CUSTOMER.

TO THE CUSTOMER. >> Reporter: ANOTHER CONCERN IS

>> Reporter: ANOTHER CONCERN IS HOW THE FOOD IS DELIVERED.

HOW THE FOOD IS DELIVERED. NINE FLIGHTS A DAY YOU PUT FOOD

NINE FLIGHTS A DAY YOU PUT FOOD ON A PLANE?

ON A PLANE? HE IS A FORMER TRUCKLOADER FOR

HE IS A FORMER TRUCKLOADER FOR LSG SKYCHEF.

LSG SKYCHEF. NOW IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATION THE

NOW IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATION THE UNION BROUGHT HIM TO NEW YORK TO

UNION BROUGHT HIM TO NEW YORK TO SPEAK TO US.

SPEAK TO US. >> THERE IS NO AC OUTSIDES.

>> THERE IS NO AC OUTSIDES. IT'S REALLY HARD TO CLOSE THE

IT'S REALLY HARD TO CLOSE THE TRUCK.

TRUCK. >> Reporter: HE SAYS ONCE THE

>> Reporter: HE SAYS ONCE THE FOOD LEFT THE FACILITY, IT WAS

FOOD LEFT THE FACILITY, IT WAS ONLY COOLED BY DRY ICE.

ONLY COOLED BY DRY ICE. DID YOU EVER SEE THE DRY ICE

DID YOU EVER SEE THE DRY ICE EVAPORATE?

EVAPORATE? >> YES, MANY TIMES BECAUSE

>> YES, MANY TIMES BECAUSE PHOENIX IS HARD.

PHOENIX IS HARD. THE DRY ICE IS -- IT'S VERY

THE DRY ICE IS -- IT'S VERY HARD.

HARD. >> Reporter: FROM THE TIME THE

>> Reporter: FROM THE TIME THE FOOD IS PUT ON THE TRUCK TO THE

FOOD IS PUT ON THE TRUCK TO THE TIME IT'S PUT ON THE AIRPLANE,

TIME IT'S PUT ON THE AIRPLANE, HOW MUCH TIME HAS GONE BY?

HOW MUCH TIME HAS GONE BY? >> TWO HOURS AND A HALF OR THREE

>> TWO HOURS AND A HALF OR THREE HOURS TO PUT THE FOOD IN THE

HOURS TO PUT THE FOOD IN THE PLANE.

PLANE. >> Reporter: HOW WOULD

>> Reporter: HOW WOULD PASSENGERS REACT KNOWING WHAT

PASSENGERS REACT KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW?

YOU KNOW? >> I WOULDN'T EAT ANYTHING ON A

>> I WOULDN'T EAT ANYTHING ON A PLANE.

PLANE. >> Reporter: ALL THREE COMPANIES

>> Reporter: ALL THREE COMPANIES TOLD NBC NEWS, THEY'RE COMMITTED

TOLD NBC NEWS, THEY'RE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE HIGHEST FOOD

TO PROVIDING THE HIGHEST FOOD SAFETY STANDARD AND COMPLY WITH

SAFETY STANDARD AND COMPLY WITH THE LATEST FEDERAL REGULATIONS

THE LATEST FEDERAL REGULATIONS UNDERGOING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL

UNDERGOING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AUDITS AND SAID THEY TAKE AN

AUDITS AND SAID THEY TAKE AN ACTION ANY TIME THERE'S AN

ACTION ANY TIME THERE'S AN INCIDENT.

INCIDENT. THEY HAVE MADE INVESTMENTS TO

THEY HAVE MADE INVESTMENTS TO IMPROVE AND ENSURE FOOD SAFETY.

IMPROVE AND ENSURE FOOD SAFETY. THE FDA REQUIRES INSPECTIONS AT

THE FDA REQUIRES INSPECTIONS AT LEAST EVERY THREE TO FIVE YEARS

LEAST EVERY THREE TO FIVE YEARS AND TOLD US FACILITIES ARE ALSO

AND TOLD US FACILITIES ARE ALSO OFTEN INSPECTED BY STATE AND

OFTEN INSPECTED BY STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES.

LOCAL AUTHORITIES. BUT FOR FREQUENT FLYERS LIKE

BUT FOR FREQUENT FLYERS LIKE JASON, THE TAKEAWAY BEFORE

JASON, THE TAKEAWAY BEFORE TAKING OFF --

TAKING OFF -- >> I'LL GRAB SOMETHING AT THE