Needles found in strawberries - deja vu?
This week we have seen an issue in Australia with needles being found in strawberry products.
The Guardian reports on the 15th September that: "A $100,000 reward has been offered for information on the Queensland strawberry saboteur amid fears six brands across four states have been targeted with needle insertion. Fruit sold under Berry Obsession, Berry Licious and Donnybrook brands have been affected, while New South Wales police warn fruit sold under the Love Berry, Delightful Strawberries and Oasis brands were inserted with needles by a possible copycat."
Queensland Health have issued a Facebook Alert to cut up strawberries before consumption. Copycat tampering has been noted with other fruit in Australia. Metal detection is being introduced.
Eleven years of recall information on my Food Safety Chat blog shows that such issues are isolated but occur from time to time and I have added some others too. Most are associated with in-store contamination. The earliest incidents led to the introduction of metal detection in factories and processing plants and the development of tamper evident packaging - a key pre-requisite, but not always possible with all types of packaging or loose fruit and vegetables.
2018: Canada - Sewing pins found in meat products sold in Nanaimo grocery stores
2016: sewing needle found in candy
2015: Suspected Food Tampering in Potatoes with potatoes in Canada
2012: sewing needles found in a catered sandwiches on a Air Canada and Delta Airlines flights,
2012: RASFF highlights sewing needles in yogurt
2010: sewing needles found in sausages in Toronto Canada
2010: incidents with sewing needles inserted into food in Japan
2010: Multiple products with pins and needles inserted in Calgary
2009: Canada concern over tampering at a particular store in Guelph
2005: Kingsmill Bread - concern over malicious tampering with glass and sewing needles
1989: Pins in Baby food in UK
The Guardian reports on the 15th September that: "A $100,000 reward has been offered for information on the Queensland strawberry saboteur amid fears six brands across four states have been targeted with needle insertion. Fruit sold under Berry Obsession, Berry Licious and Donnybrook brands have been affected, while New South Wales police warn fruit sold under the Love Berry, Delightful Strawberries and Oasis brands were inserted with needles by a possible copycat."
Queensland Health have issued a Facebook Alert to cut up strawberries before consumption. Copycat tampering has been noted with other fruit in Australia. Metal detection is being introduced.
Eleven years of recall information on my Food Safety Chat blog shows that such issues are isolated but occur from time to time and I have added some others too. Most are associated with in-store contamination. The earliest incidents led to the introduction of metal detection in factories and processing plants and the development of tamper evident packaging - a key pre-requisite, but not always possible with all types of packaging or loose fruit and vegetables.
2018: Canada - Sewing pins found in meat products sold in Nanaimo grocery stores
2016: sewing needle found in candy
2015: Suspected Food Tampering in Potatoes with potatoes in Canada
2012: sewing needles found in a catered sandwiches on a Air Canada and Delta Airlines flights,
2012: RASFF highlights sewing needles in yogurt
2010: sewing needles found in sausages in Toronto Canada
2010: incidents with sewing needles inserted into food in Japan
2010: Multiple products with pins and needles inserted in Calgary
2009: Canada concern over tampering at a particular store in Guelph
2005: Kingsmill Bread - concern over malicious tampering with glass and sewing needles
1989: Pins in Baby food in UK
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