How many cases are there?

At least 13 people have gone public about finding needles in their strawberries since a man was rushed to hospital on September 9. Victims include young children and a dog.

However, NSW Police said on Tuesday it was investigating 20 cases in that state alone so the total figure is likely much higher.

Additionally, copycats put a needle in a banana and an apple, according to customers claiming to have found them.

Which brands are involved?

Seven brands, six from Queensland and one from Western Australia, have been targeted so far.

They include Berry Obsession, Berry Licious, Donnybrook Berries, Delightful Strawberries, Love Berries, Oasis, and Mal’s Black Label.

Who is responsible?

Police are searching for the original culprit and likely at least one copycat who placed the needles or razor blades but have not mentioned any leads.

Tampering is believed to have occurred during the packing stage, which is done at a central facility with many different brands, or soon after.

Can you still buy strawberries?

Supermarkets recalled all berries from the affected brands and Coles and Aldi temporarily pulled all strawberries from shelves until Monday.

The affected brands remain excluded from supermarket shelves.

Should you buy strawberries and how can you eat them safely?

Health and food safety authorities advise customers to cut each berry in half to reveal if there is any sharp metal hidden inside

How has this affected growers?

The growers targeted by the contamination are unable to sell their stock and at least one of them has dumped millions of berries in a ditch.

Other companies have also mass scrapped stock as consumers are too worried to buy strawberries at all and sales collapsed.

Strawberries are a $160 million industry in Queensland alone and the state government announced a $1 million fund to assist growers.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk