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The strawberry crisis has spread from coast to coast with a sewing needle found in Western Australia's punnet.
A man told York Police Station in the Washington area that a needle had been placed in a net of strawberries produced and packaged in the state on Monday.
He told the officers that he had found her in his sink after preparing strawberries for his family and that he did not remember it before.
Contaminated strawberries have already been found in a number of supermarkets in Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania and South Australia.
Earlier on Monday, fears about needles secreted into strawberries spread across the Tasman, with New Zealand's two major food retailers removing fruits from their shelves.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has also ordered the food safety oversight agency to investigate how Queensland is managing the strawberry saga.
He directed Food Standards Australia New Zealand to determine if there were weaknesses in the supply chain or needed system changes.
"At the end of the day, the work is very very clear, protect the public and protect them," he told ABC on Monday.
Foodstuffs and Countdown (owned by Woolworths), which control almost the entire New Zealand food market, announced Monday they stopped sending Australian strawberries to their stores.
In separate statements, both said that none of their products had been affected by a major recall in Australia, but that they wanted to reassure customers.
A man posted a photo of the needle that he found in a strawberry punnet.
The countdown said it had stopped ordering new imports of Australian strawberries, while food had stopped distributing them.
New Zealand imports fruits from Australia when it is out of season, from April to September, and both chains claim that the Kiwi product will be available soon.
The announcement comes as needles have been found in other strawberries in South Australia and New South Wales over the weekend, compounding incidents across the country and raising fears. as to the behavior of the imitators.
Queensland Strawberry Growers Vice President Adrian Schultz says that what started with a single act of "commercial terrorism" has put a multi-million dollar industry on its knees.
"I'm angry at all the people involved, it's the farmers, the suppliers, the people who pack, the truckers with the families to support, who suddenly lose their jobs … it's very important," he said. he declared.
Cabinet Minister Christopher Pyne says he understands why New Zealanders are making fun of Australian strawberries.
"I hope we are going to catch them and sue them and that they spend a lot of time behind bars because that's what they deserve," said Mr. Pyne. .
"They behaved in a shocking way and they affect the strawberry industry in Australia but now also exports to New Zealand."
National Championship spokesman Andrew Broad criticized the culprits as "scum".
A health warning to discard or cut strawberries remains in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
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