The strawberry crisis has spread from coast to coast, with a sewing needle found in West Australia punnet.
A man reported to the York Police Station in regional WA that a needle had been in a punnet of strawberries produced and packaged in the state on Monday.
He told officers he found it in his sink after preparing strawberries for his family and did not recall it being there beforehand.
Contaminated strawberries have previously been found at a number of supermarkets in Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania and South Australia.
Earlier Monday, fears over needles secreted in strawberries spilled across the Tasman, with both of New Zealand's major food distributors taking the fruit off their shelves.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has also ordered the food safety watchdog to investigate Queensland's handling of the strawberry spiking saga.
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Tasmanians are being advised to cut up strawberries before eating them as police investigate claims a needle was found in a punnet bought in Hobart.
Strawberries lovers in Tasmania are being urged to cut up the fruit before eating, as police investigate a needle contamination claim.
A woman has said on social media she found a needle in a punnet of strawberries bought from a Hobart supermarket on the weekend.
The state's public health department on Monday advised Tasmanians to cut up any strawberries from interstate before eating.
He's directed Food Standards Australia New Zealand to investigate whether there are supply chain weaknesses or systemic changes needed.
"At the end of the day, the job is very, very clear. Protect the public and keep them safe," he told the ABC on Monday.
Both Foodstuffs and Countdown (owned by Woolworths) - which between them control nearly the entire New Zealand grocery market - on Monday announced they had stopped sending out Australian strawberries to their stores.
In separate statements, both said while none of their products had been affected by a major recall in Australia, they wanted to reassure customers.
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Countdown said it had stopped ordering any further imports of Australian strawberries, while Foodstuffs had halted distribution.
New Zealand imports the fruit from Australia when it's out of season, from April to September, and both chains say the Kiwi product will be on shelves shortly instead.
The announcement comes as needles were found inserted into more strawberries in South Australia and NSW over the weekend, adding to incidents across the country and prompting fears of copycat behaviour.
Vice-president of the Queensland Strawberry Growers Association, Adrian Schultz, says what started with a single act of "commercial terrorism" has brought a multi-million-dollar industry to its knees.
"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," he said.
Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne says he understands why New Zealanders are baulking at Australian strawberries.
"I hope we catch them and prosecute them and they spend a lot of time behind bars, because that's what they deserve," Mr Pyne said.
"They have behaved shockingly badly and they are affecting the strawberry industry in Australia but also now the exports to New Zealand."
Nationals frontbencher Andrew Broad has blasted the culprits as "low-life scum".
A health warning to throw out or cut up strawberries remains in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia.
Source: AAP - SBS
