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Derek Flynn / Stuff
Damaged baby food has been found in several North Island Countdown supermarkets.
Police are investigating whether dozens of damaged squeeze bags of baby food found on the shelves of different supermarkets were tampered with.
Holes have been found in about 30 baby food packages in six supermarkets in Auckland, five Countdown and one SuperValue, and one Countdown in Napier in recent days.
It is not clear how they got perforated.
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The affected brands are Only Organic, Natureland and Smiling Tums.
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In response to a series of questions from StuffGary Orr, New Zealand’s director of food safety compliance, confirmed that police were investigating to “rule out the possibility that the damage was deliberately caused.”
“The police are conducting a series of investigations to establish the circumstances of how the damage occurred.”
That included the “possibility that it was the result of a manufacturing failure,” Orr said.
“Damage to packaging occurs from time to time as part of the food manufacturing and distribution process.”
Orr said parents should check the packaging of baby food bags before using them.
“In all the damaged product that has been identified thus far, the holes have been prominent and easy to see loosely,” he said.
Damaged product should not be eaten.
“To be safe, if you have any questions about any bag of baby food in your home, please let the retailer know and return it to the store if you can, as this could help us track down the cause of the damage. If you have any medical concerns about your children, seek medical advice. “
Woolworths New Zealand, which owns Countdown and SuperValue, conducted a sweep of all its baby food stocks to ensure no damaged baby products are left on the shelves, Orr said.
Foodstuffs was in the process of doing the same.
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Customers can request a refund for products, damaged or not, a Countdown spokesperson said.
The stores where damaged product has been found are:
Birkenhead Countdown, Auckland – 15 packages
Milford Countdown, Auckland – 4 packages
Meadowlands Countdown, Auckland – 1 pack
Three Kings Countdown, Auckland – 2 packages
SuperValue Avondale, Auckland – 6 packages
Carlyle Countdown, Napier – 1 pack
In a statement, a Countdown spokeswoman said the safety of its staff and customers “is our highest priority at all times.”
The supermarket chain was working with the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) and the police to investigate the damaged packages “as a precautionary measure,” the spokeswoman said.
“It is not yet known whether this damage was caused in manufacturing, in transit or otherwise.
“We have inspected all bags of baby food in our Countdown, SuperValue and FreshChoice stores and distribution centers nationwide, and customers can be sure that the product on our shelves is not damaged.”
The customer who wanted to return any of the affected brands for a refund could do so, whether they were damaged or not.
“MPI and the New Zealand Police have taken the lead in this investigation and we are following their advice. We will provide them with all the information they need to help with this. “
