“Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you.” Joseph Heller.

landcruiserguy:

 

This isn't the only thing you should worry about.  Remember that almost all fruit is hand picked by low paid people with poor access to toilets and hygiene facilities.  It's entirely possible to get hep c or other nasty diseases from eating something as simple as an apple.  I am not saying that you should stop eating fruit, just the needles in strawberries are probably a lower risk than the current risks that we live with every day.

 

The thing is, the potential for deadly microorganisms doesn't bother me so much.  

Needles though.... uhhh!

Not a problem for me, since I don't eat fruit.

My wife does, but I am not sure what her thoughts would be - I suspect she would just look carefully before eating and perhaps cut the fruit into smaller bits to make it easier to see any foreign bodies etc.

When I was a kid there was a spate of sickos (one original sicko and copy cat sickos) sticking razor blades to slides ... seems some people get their jollies from some f'd up things :-(

mattwnz:

 

It is somewhat ironic that NZ now has all these really strict food safety procedures that have just been introduced. These make it very difficult for very small boutique food producers to stay in business due to all the compliance costs involved. But there doesn't seem to be much when it comes to fresh fruit. IMO anyone caught tampering with food should be dealt with very harshly.

 

Giving people long sentences won't stop it from happening. It didn't in Australia and it won't here. When people have mental disorders they don't act in rational ways.

I see they have now found something in a capsicum https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/108881861/needle-found-in-capsicum-bought-at-tauranga-countdown-over-weekend

sbiddle:

 

These are NZ strawberries and the issue is copycats.

 

The problem with being paranoid is that you'll then probably never eat anything. It's just as easy to stick a needle into a banana or an orange but people haven't done that.

 

You mean in NZ? There have definitely been reports in Australia https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/food-warnings/a-sydney-family-found-a-needle-in-an-orange/news-story/32a7207abdab3bd635c595082d8370a4 and https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-45556584

For bananas there have also been viral messages alleging cases in Malaysia https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2018/10/420123/needle-banana-penang-assemblyman-calls-probe

I didn't follow any of these closely enough to determine if they were hoaxes though. 

BTW so far it's only been fruit and vegetables AFAIK. But it seems to me with a little minor fiddling, it wouldn't be that hard to do it to sausages and a bunch of other stuff. Unless you look very carefully, you're probably not going to notice the minor packaging damage. 

irongarment: You are being a bit paranoid.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12172637

Rayner, a 45-year-old teacher, said he immediately called the Pak 'n Save Cameron Rd store where the strawberries were bought this morning, as well as police.

Jeez, we visit this store on the odd occassion too. 

landcruiserguy:

 

It's entirely possible to get hep c or other nasty diseases from eating something as simple as an apple. 

 

LOL.  You might be able to get hep C from "sharing" a needle, but not with a strawberry.

Hep A perhaps.

surfisup1000:

irongarment: You are being a bit paranoid.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12172637

Rayner, a 45-year-old teacher, said he immediately called the Pak 'n Save Cameron Rd store where the strawberries were bought this morning, as well as police.

 

Jeez, we visit this store on the odd occassion too.