www.foodtechnology.co.nz 15
NEEDLE IN A
HAYSTACK
Massey University quality systems expert
Nigel Grigg takes an indepth look at the
Australian strawberry crisis and asks if
New Zealand is ready for a similar attack.
On September 9, a man in
Brisbane was hospitalised after
swallowing a sewing needle
that had been intentionally
concealed within a strawberry
that had been purchased from a local branch of
Woolworth’s.
Over the following week, more needles were
found in punnets of strawberries originating
from Western Australia, causing retailers to
quickly withdraw certain brands from sale. By
the end of September, more than 100 needles
had been discovered in strawberries purchased
within Australia, and some also turned up in
New Zealand and Singaporean supermarkets.
While an investigation into the supply chain remains
ongoing, all the evidence points strongly
towards initial contamination at the upstream
end (at picking, packaging or distribution to the
other states). Suspicions of copycat behaviour
grew, along with the increasing number of
Australian incidents, especially as other produce
became involved (bananas, apples and
mangos).
It seems only logical that any copycat behaviour
would have occurred at the downstream
end (at retailer distribution, at the
retailer premises, or even beyond).
The original act of sabotage was simple and
crude, but devastatingly effective. Given the
number of needles detected, the likelihood of
a consumer finding one in a random strawberry
was vanishingly small, and once consumers
were alerted it was relatively easy for them to
take precautionary measures.
However, there was an undeniable emotive
element. Strawberries tend to be associated
(for many) with images such as summer days,
picnics and fine dining, and the idea that a
strawberry might conceal a needle evokes a
‘flinch factor’ strong enough to make most
consumers think twice. As a juxtaposition of
images, it is reminiscent of poisoned apples in
childhood fairy tales; and as a tactic intended
to harm an employer, a competitor or even
the industry, it proved so damaging that it was
branded a form of ‘food terrorism’ by a Strawberries
Australia Inc spokesman.
Indeed, the incident has severely impacted the
Australian strawberry industry, jeopardising
confidence, jobs and livelihoods. It quickly led
to a range of publicised remedial and investigative
measures designed to: isolate and remove
the contaminated strawberries; locate the
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