Strawberry needle scare probe launched

While growers use metal detectors to scan fruit, Queensland offers cash reward to find culprits

Public fears about sewing needles concealed inside strawberries on supermarket shelves have spread across Australia and New Zealand as growers turn to metal detectors and the Australian government launches an investigation to restore public confidence in the popular fruit.

The government of Queensland state, where the contamination scare started last week, offered a 100,000 Australian dollar ($72,000) reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for inserting needles into strawberries after six brands — Donnybrook Berries, Love Berry, Delightful Strawberries, Oasis, Berry Obsession and Berry Licious — were recalled.

The scare had spread across the nation by yesterday, with needles reported found in strawberries in all six Australian states. No injuries have been reported.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt ordered the national food safety watchdog to investigate Queensland’s needle scare.

He directed Food Standards Australia New Zealand to investigate whether there are supply chain weaknesses that need to be fixed.

“The job is very, very clear. Protect the public and keep them safe,” Hunt told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Both of New Zealand’s major food distributors, Foodstuffs and Countdown, announced yesterday they are taking Australian handling of the strawberries off their shelves because of the scare.

New Zealand imports Australian strawberries when they are out of season locally from April to September, and both chains say the home-grown product will be on supermarket shelves soon.

Queensland Strawberry Growers Association vice president Adrian Schultz said what had started as a single act of “commercial terrorism” had brought a multimillion-dollar industry to its knees.

“I’m angry for all the associated people, it’s the farmers, the people who supply them, the packaging people, the truckies with families to support, who suddenly lose their jobs ... it’s far-reaching,” Schultz said.

I’m angry for all the associated people, it’s the farmers, the people who supply them, the packaging people, the truckies with families to support, who suddenly lose their jobs ... it’s far-reaching.”

Adrian Schultz | Queensland Strawberry Growers Assn.