Potato tampering incidents reach Halifax after nail found in spud

Another nail has been found in a potato sold in Atlantic Canada, this time in Halifax.

Halifax police say around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, a worker at the Atlantic Superstore on Quinpool Road was sorting through bags of Farmers Market Russet Potatoes, which had been recalled after similar incidents in the Maritimes when he discovered the nail.

Police recovered the nail, potato and rest of the bag of potatoes. No injuries were reported.

An Atlantic Canada recall has been issued by Loblaws and Strang's Produce after three people found metal objects in potatoes in Nova Scotia, N.B. and P.E.I. this month in possible food-tampering cases.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced the recall Saturday, saying consumers should not eat some varieties of Strang's Chef, Farmer's Market and Strang's Produce potatoes.

Investigations began last Monday when P.E.I. RCMP began investigating after a person found a metal object in a potato bought at the Montague Atlantic Superstore.

RCMP in N.B. investigating

On Tuesday, a man found a nail in his potato in Antigonish, N.S., and took it to police. Police say the Farmer's Market potatoes were sold by the Atlantic Superstore in late April or early May.

On Wednesday, RCMP learned of another nail in a potato bought at a No Frills grocery store in Barrington Passage. It was also a Farmer's Market potato.

RCMP in New Brunswick are investigating possible food tampering in two cases involving potatoes.

On Thursday, a Tabusintac resident reported the discovery of a nail in a potato to police. It had been purchased at a Co-op on May 13. Police took the potato, nail and bag for investigation.

On Tuesday, police in Nigadoo, N.B., received a complaint from the owner of a market in Petit-Rocher. In that case the customer discovered a nail in a potato and returned to to the store.

Halifax police said if any foreign metal object is found, save the potato, metal object and bag or tags related to the product and call them so the items can been passed on to investigators.