Needles discovered in fruit and meat products at a supermarket in southwestern Ontario forced it to close temporarily while store staff searched for signs of further tampering.

The Food Basics store in Listowel, Ont., about 160 km northwest of Toronto, was shut after needles were found on Thursday.

Ontario Provincial Police in Perth said employees at the store were still inspecting all food products Friday to ensure everything was safe for purchase.

Inspectors with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency were also expected to be on hand.

Public urged to be cautious

The store is scheduled to reopen for business on Saturday.

Police urged consumers who have already purchased food from the store to be very careful about the food they prepare to ensure it's safe to handle and consume.

Neither the number of needles found, nor the amount of food that was tampered with, has been revealed.

The company that owns Food Basics, Metro Ontario Inc., did not comment on the matter but said that safety of customers was a top priority.