It has not been a good time for people doing their regular fruit shop in Australia and New Zealand after police confirmed they are investigating an incident where a metal object was found inside a banana.
This comes only weeks after metal needles were found in strawberries in Queensland, and as far away as Perth and New Zealand.
The Queensland Police Commissioner, Ian Stewart, confirmed police were actively investigating an incident, but did not give details about where the contaminated banana was found.
Advert
Finding the metal object in the banana has sparked fear of copycat incidents after finding the metal pins in strawberries.
Vice-president of the Queensland Strawberry Growers Association, Adrian Schultz, says a single act of 'commercial terrorism' has brought a multi-million-dollar industry to its knees.
He 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."
The needles were discovered by a mother of two young children as her son found a metal pin when biting into a strawberry and she discovered another when she was cutting up the fruit for her toddler.
It was pretty serious for some people as one man had to be taken to hospital for emergency medical attention after swallowing part of a needle.
Advert
These frightening incidents have put regional growers on edge and they are forcing them to weigh up their farming futures as the strawberry contamination crisis forces New Zealand's major supermarkets to stop selling the fruit from Australia.
The Federal Health Minister, Greg Hunt, has also ordered the food safety watchdog to investigate Queensland's handling of the strawberry spiking saga.
He's directed Food Standards Australia New Zealand to investigate whether there are supply chain weaknesses or systemic changes needed.
He told ABC: "At the end of the day, the job is very, very clear. Protect the public and keep them safe."
It was announced on Monday both Foodstuff and Countdown - both owned by Woolworths and both controlling nearly the entire New Zealand grocery market - had stopped sending out Australian strawberries to its stores.
Advert
The company said though none of its products had been affected by a major recall in Australia, it was offering reassures to its customers.
In the separate statements, Foodstuffs said it had halted distribution and Countdown said it stopped ordering imports from Australian strawberries.
It's common practice in New Zealand to import the fruit from Australia when it's out of season - between April and September - and both of the Woolworths chains say the Kiwi product will be on shelves shortly instead.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: New Zealand, Police, Food, World News, News, Australia