Warning for Woolworths shoppers as a NEEDLE is found sticking out of a mandarin

Warning for Woolworths shoppers as a NEEDLE is found sticking out of a mandarin and police issue urgent appeal

  • A needle was found inside a mandarin at a Woolworths store in South Australia  
  • The discovery is among a string of reports of food contamination in recent weeks
  • Needles were also found in strawberries and an avocado in an Adelaide Woolies 
  • Police are threatening to punish on anyone caught contaminating food 

A needle has been found inside a mandarin at a Woolworths supermarket as authorities raise the alarm over a rising number of food contamination cases in recent weeks. 

The discovery was made after as shopper purchased the fruit from a Woolworths outlet at Findon, in Adelaide’s western suburbs on Tuesday.    

A Woolworths Spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia they have contacted police and the remaining stock was checked.  

A needle has been found inside a mandarin in South Australia as authorities raise the alarm over a rising number of food contamination cases in recent weeks (stock image)

‘As a precautionary measure, our store team opened and inspected mandarins last night. We found no further product safety concerns in these checks,’ the spokesperson said.

‘We’ve also commenced our own investigation in line with our established food safety procedures.’ 

The supermarket giant has handed over CCTV footage to police as part of the investigation into the food tampering scandal.

Meanwhile, South Australia police say they will ‘come down hard’ on people responsible for contaminating food.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said officers were doing everything they could to identify the culprits.

Woolworths has handed over CCTV footage to police as part of the investigation into food tampering (stock image)

Woolworths has handed over CCTV footage to police as part of the investigation into food tampering (stock image)

South Australia Police Commissioner Grant Stevens (pictured)  said police were doing everything they could to identify the culprits

South Australia Police Commissioner Grant Stevens (pictured)  said police were doing everything they could to identify the culprits

‘These acts are incredibly malicious (and) I’m absolutely amazed this can re-emerge at a time like this where businesses are finding it really challenging to stay afloat.’ Commissioner Stevens told ABC Radio.

‘I’d certainly be encouraging our bail authorities that if this person presents such a risk that they will be remanded in custody.’

Earlier on Tuesday, there were reports of a thumbtack being found in strawberries purchased from the Foodland outlet in Goolwa, south of Adelaide.

That followed the discovery of needles in strawberries and an avocado, and thumbtacks in a loaf of bread, at a Woolworths outlet in Adelaide’s northeast between June 27 and July 1.

The commissioner said there were fears copycats may be responsible for new cases of food contamination and a dedicated team had been established to investigate the incidents.

‘We don’t want to see this become a trend,’ he said on Tuesday.

‘The potential for copycat is significant and the impact on industry is significant.’

More than 240 copycat incidents were reported after the initial incident involving the discovery of a needle inside a strawberry in 2018

More than 240 copycat incidents were reported after the initial incident involving the discovery of a needle inside a strawberry in 2018

The Commissioner also warned that if there ‘was information about people making false reports … we will be coming down hard on those people as well’.

The latest incident comes two years after the strawberry contamination scandal across Australia in 2018.

More than 240 copycat incidents were reported after the initial incident involving the discovery of a needle inside a strawberry.

My Ut Trinh, 52, A former supervisor for the Brisbane-based farm Berrylicious has been charged with six counts of contamination over the 2018 incident.  

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