Mum terrified after horrific find in Aldi grapes
The fruit-needle saga has continued with yet another commercially-bought fresh item allegedly found contaminated by a sharp metal prong.
An Aldi shopper has claimed she found a short needle poking through a grape she purchased from the retailer’s Caroline Springs store, west of Melbourne, on Sunday.
In a post to Facebook, the mum alerted others to the potential danger looming in the supermarket produce aisle, and shared photos of a green grape containing the foreign object.
“Grapes I purchased today from Aldi Caroline Springs. Please check all your grapes before eating, especially if you’re giving them to your kids,” she wrote to her profile.
The post was shared more than 4000 times and attracted comments from 1,500 people condemning the criminal act.
“Needles again? There are some sick people in this world,” one person wrote.
“Brainless morons. What is the matter with these people?,” someone else said.
“What do idiots get out of doing this like seriously it's pathetic. A small child could be seriously hurt. F***ing idiots need a bullet,” a third wrote.
Victoria Police confirmed it was “currently investigating a report of food contamination in Caroline Springs”.
“Police have been told a needle was located in a grape bought from a store in Caroline Springs on October 6,” a statement from the police read.
“The community is reminded that anyone found to be contaminating food products can be charged with a serious indictable offence with penalties including up to 10 years in jail.”
Police appealed for people to take care when consuming fruit and urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Another Melbourne shopper narrowly avoided injury last month after biting into a strawberry contaminated with a needle.
Last year Australian strawberry growers were rocked as police across the country investigated more than 100 reports of fruit being contaminated with needles and other objects.
Many of the reports were found to be fake or copycat incidents, but the scare prompted the federal government to rush through tougher penalties for so-called “food terrorists”.
It caused an eight per cent produce loss to the industry, worth about $12 million.
The industry also received a $1 million relief package, including $350,000 to invest in tamper-proof containers, marketing and training.
An ALDI spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia it was working alongside police to find the person responsible for the grape needle.
“Food tampering, involving the deliberate interference with food is a criminal offence and we work with authorities on all reported incidents,” a statement read.
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