Shocking discovery in Coles sparks new strawberry sabotage fears
There are new strawberry needle fears after Coles employee found a small metal rod in a punnet on the shelves at a Queensland store.
Acting Detective Chief Superintendent Terry Lawrence said it could be a copycat incident after the punnet was found at the on the shelves at the Gatton store, in the Lockyer Valley, on Thursday.
Police are still searching for the culprit who hid sewing needles inside strawberry stocks from a Sunshine Coast-based supplier.
A fourth punnet of strawberries inserted with needles was discovered on Thursday by a Gladstone woman whose son bit into a contaminated berry he’d taken to school in his lunch box.
It comes a day after consumers in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales were urged to throw out berries bought in the past week following three similar incidents – one in Queensland and two in Victoria.
At least four contaminated strawberry punnets sold from Woolworths have been found containing sewing needles sparking a recall of Berrylicious and Berry Obsession strawberries in NSW, Queensland, and ACT.
Investigators have now confirmed the fourth contamination incident was identified by a customer in Gladstone, about 500km north of Brisbane.
The Warmuran farm which supplied the berries under the brand names Berry Obsession and Berry Licious, was inspected by Queensland police and Australian Border Force officers on Thursday.
Copycat fears after ‘metal rod’ found in Coles punnet
An investigation is also under way after a Coles employee found a small metal rod laying across the top of some strawberries at the Gatton store.
Queensland Police said there could be a copycat placing needles in strawberries following the discovery of a “thin metal object” in fruit bought from a Gatton supermarket.
Acting Detective Chief Superintendent Terry Lawrence said it could be a copycat incident, but police would always keep an open mind.
A photo in relation to the suspected copycat incident has been released as police continue their investigations.
Call to ‘keep buying strawberries’
Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said anyone who had Berry Licious or Berry Obsession strawberries at home should not eat them. If you are in doubt of the brand, throw them out.
“For other brands, our advice is all strawberries should be cut up before they are eaten,” Dr Young said.
In a statement to Yahoo7, a Coles spokesperson said it was safe to purchase Coles strawberries.
“Coles takes the safety of the food we sell seriously. The safety of our customers is our priority and anyone concerned about their health should seek medical advice,” the spokesperson said.
Sunshine Coast grower Adrian Schultz said the contamination scare was the last thing the industry needed.
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“Our biggest concern is some sort of copycat event happening that could exacerbate the situation,” Mr Schultz said.
“It does appear to be an isolated incident so far … it’s the perception that people have that’s the concern.”
With only a few weeks left in the Queensland season, Mr Schultz implored consumers to keep buying their product.
“We could be finished by the weekend,” he said.
“I know that farmers that are still going would appreciate the support by the public.”
‘Disgruntled farm worker’ could be to blame
The Queensland Strawberry Growers Association says a disgruntled farm worker may be responsible, as the two brands affected, Berry Obsession and Berrylicious, came from the same farm.
But police doubt that theory.
“We’re not agreeing with that at all at this particular point in time,” Queensland Acting Chief Superintendent Terry Lawrence said.
“We’re not going to get into speculation. We’re keeping a very open mind as to where this may have occurred somewhere between the actual growing of the strawberry through to the completion of the production line and going even further through to distribution and going on to the shelves.”
Health authorities are urging people to cut up strawberries to make sure they are safe to eat and police want anyone who finds a needle to contact them.
The affected brands have since been withdrawn from sale.
Queensland Police urge anyone with information on the strawberry contamination to contact Policelink on 131 444 or provide information using the online form 24hrs per day.
For more information regarding the police investigation click here.
If you are concerned you may have eaten any of the contaminated strawberries click here.
