Suspected potato tampering prompts recall in Atlantic Canada

A recall has been issued and RCMP are investigating after a consumer complaint of ametal object beingfound in a potato in Labrador City, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says Linkletter Farms Ltd.of Summerside has issued a voluntaryrecall of bags ofLink, Market Town Co-op and Carr's, blue and brown stripe potatoes. The products weresold in P.E.I., Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotiaand New Brunswick.

Gary Linkletter, general manager and president of Linkletter Farms Ltd. issued a release saying the company has also halted all further shipments of their potatoes until the matter is resolved.

In thestatement Linkletter said, "Our company has been informed that this food safety issue is the result of the deliberate insertion of a metal object into the potatoes. We are deeply concerned and shocked by this event, as product quality and food safety have always been of the utmost importance to our family farm and to our industry."

Linkletter told CBC News he first heard of the tampering through a comment on the company Facebook page. After some initial investigation, Linklettersaid he called RCMP.

Shortly after, Linklettersaid they asked for the recall.

"The CFIA, we requested them to recall everything we shipped this year," he said. "Because we don't know the origins of this material."

Linkletter said so far this year, the farm has shipped three tractor trailer loads of potatoes.

"It is something we were not expecting, have no reason to ever expect something like this, so we're very concerned," he said.

The CFIA says there have been no confirmed illnesses or injuries reported. But consumers are being advised to closely check their potatoes for foreign objects.

The RCMP Major Crime unit in Prince Edward Island is asking anyone who finds any foreign metal objects in apotato to save the potato, themetal object andthe bag.

If one is found, people are asked to contact the East Prince RCMP at (902) 436-9300.

A complete list of the recalled products can be found on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website.