Police concerned about spread of incidents needles and pins found inside supermarket strawberries in four states

The health minister, Greg Hunt, has ordered the national food safety watchdog to assess the handling of strawberry contamination.

It comes as police investigate claims that needle sabotage has now spread to at least six brands of strawberries in four states.

Coles and Aldi supermarkets have pulled all strawberries from their shelves across the country, except Western Australia, as a precaution over needle contamination fears.

Six strawberry brands recalled as $100,000 reward offered to catch needle saboteur Read more

Berry Obsession, Berry Licious and Donnybrook Berries branded fruit have recalled their strawberries nationwide.

Police are also investigating contamination of fruit sold by Delightful Strawberries, Love Berries and Oasis in stores in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and the ACT.

The latest contaminated batch was detected in Woodville, near Newcastle in New South Wales. The punnet of Wallace Road strawberries was bought from Coles at the Stockland Greenhills shopping centre, police said.

There were also reports on Monday that strawberries containing a needle had been bought at a Woolworths in Rosny Park in Hobart, Tasmania.

“This is a very vicious crime and it’s a general attack on the public, and it’s also an attack on a specific industry,” Hunt told reporters on Sunday.

Hunt said while it was primarily a problem for the states, he had asked his department to request Food Standards Australia New Zealand make an “immediate appraisal” of the situation.

Investigators fear copycats may be behind the latest discovery of needles and pins inside the supermarket strawberries, with consumers warned to continue to cut up any fruit not on the recall list before eating it.

Authorities are hopeful a $100,000 reward for information offered by the Queensland government will lead to the capture of the culprit or culprits.

“Remember if in doubt, throw them out, otherwise, make sure you chop before you chomp,” Queensland’s chief health officer, Dr Jeanette Young, said.