Woman finds venomous redback spider in Aldi grapes
A Sydney grandmother has discovered a deadly spider inside a bunch of supermarket grapes.
Yolande Gamble, from the Sutherland Shire, purchased the fruit at an Aldi supermarket in Engadine on Friday.
When she got home, she was horrified to discover a live redback spider nestled between the grapes as she took them out of their bag.
“As I was placing them in a bowl a live redback Spider was sitting happy in the grapes,” she told Yahoo News.
“I put my hand right in and I was even eating them.
“I probably touched it.”
She said despite having nerves of steel, the discovery certainly tested her resolve.
“I have plenty of spiders in my garden but not in my food!” she said.
“I was pretty shocked.”
Ms Gamble stressed that the bag was sealed, believing the store isn’t to blame for the deadly intruder.
She said she returned the grapes, which were sealed and taken away by staff, and received a new bag “spider-free”.
Ms Gamble said she wanted use her close call to raise awareness of potential dangers in fresh produce at supermarkets.
“I just want people to check the fruit as they’re unpacking it,” she warned.
“I could have been bitten.. I was just lucky.
“It could have been by grandchildren who I asked to empty the bag.”
An Aldi spokesperson told Yahoo News that they were satisfied with the store’s handling of the situation and that the matter has been resolved with the customer.