Needle found in capsicum bought at Tauranga Countdown over weekend
A stir-fry left a sharp taste in the mouth for one Tauranga couple as they discovered a needle inside a capsicum.
Will Taylor cooked the stir fry for his girlfriend on Sunday using a red capsicum purchased from Countdown Bureta Park the day prior.
Taylor said they inspected the piece of food and discovered a small needle had been inserted into the vegetable.
A Countdown spokeswoman said the store has referred the matter to the New Zealand police who will investigate.
"We take food safety incredibly seriously and will work closely with both the NZ Police and MPI to cooperate fully with their investigation," she said.
The capsicum was not the only fruit purchased last Saturday spiked with needles.
A strawberry was discovered to also contain a needle which was purchased at a FreshChoice supermarket in South Canterbury sparking an investigation from MPI.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
-
52.7% Human-centred experience and communication
-
14.8% Critical thinking
-
29.8% Resilience and adaptability
-
2.7% Other - I will share below!
Loading…
