Man capitalises on needle crisis plaguing strawberry industry and stocks up on $5 tray of the fruit

A man has capitalised on the current needle crisis plaguing the strawberry industry by stocking up on a $5 tray of the fruit.

The man posted an image of his bargain haul on social media with the caption, ‘If I’m dead tomorrow, you now know why. $5 per tray, worth the risk.’

The photograph shows a cardboard tray half full with punnets of strawberries.

A man has capitalised on the current needle crisis plaguing the strawberry industry by stocking up on a $5 tray of the fruit 

Commenters on the photo discussed whether they would take the risk of buying the strawberries currently (pictured a needle found by a Queensland mother on Thursday) 

Commenters on the photo discussed whether they would take the risk of buying the strawberries currently (pictured a needle found by a Queensland mother on Thursday) 

Next to the tray is a large stainless steel bowl full of the cut up fruit, a chopping board and serrated knife.

Commenters on the photo discussed whether they would take the risk of buying the strawberries in the current situation.

‘$5 a tray that’s a tiny risk. I’d take it, even if I had to push them through a sieve and make jam,’ wrote one commentor.

‘Real talk. Why would you risk it if it could have been tampered with in ways which are more than just needles, especially considering that you could simply return them in exchange for a fresh punnet?’ said another.

The man who posted the image revealed how he prepared the fruit saying that, ‘After very carefully cutting them into stupidly thin slices (yes we are actually that paranoid) we mixed them with some sugar and thickened cream. Mash it all until it’s a fairly thick pulp and you’re all set!’ 

Two brands of strawberries, both grown on a southeast Queensland farm, have been found to be contaminated with needles – Berry Obession and Berry Licious.

On Thursday, a Queensland mother said she found a needle while cutting up fruit for her 12-month-old child and realised she had also given the fruit to her 9-year-old to take to school.

Two brands of strawberries, both grown on a southeast Queensland farm have been found with needles inside - Berry Obession and Berry Licious 

Two brands of strawberries, both grown on a southeast Queensland farm have been found with needles inside – Berry Obession and Berry Licious 

Angela Stevenson frantically rang the school and was told that her son had already bit into the fruit and found a needle.

Another Queensland resident Haoni van Dorp was driving to the Sunshine Coast with his friend when they stopped at the Strathpine Woolworths north of Brisbane and bought a punnet of strawberries.

He was rushed to the emergency room after swallowing half a needle but has recovered.

Two more affected punnets were found by people in Victoria and there has been what police suspect is a copycat incident on Thursday where a small steel rod was found in a punnet in Queensland.

 

 

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