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Suspected potato tampering prompts recall in Atlantic Canada

It appears someone is tampering with Prince Edward Island potatoes by sticking metal shards in the province’s iconic crop, prompting a national investigation and a recall on potatoes across Atlantic Canada.

The Royal Canadian National Police and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have taken steps to crack down on what has become a rather serious issue after two potatoes from the same PEI farm were found nearly 2,000 kilometres apart with metal objects inserted inside.

The RCMP has launched a massive investigation that includes forensic testing on the tampered potato and a call to the public to locate and quarantine for study any other potatoes suspected of having been tampered with.

The RCMP released details from their ongoing investigation this week stating that potatoes have been found tampered with on multiple occasions, most recently in a bag purchased in Carmenville, Newfoundland.

The RCMP statement in full:

On October 8, 2014, the RCMP in Prince Edward Island was informed that another potato with a foreign metal object has been discovered in Noggin Cove, Newfoundland. The bag of potatoes was purchased from a store in Carmenville, Newfoundland. It is believed this table potato also originated from the same Prince Edward Island supplier, Linkletter Farms Ltd. of Summerside, P.E.I.

The RCMP Major Crime Unit, Forensic Identification Unit and members of the East Prince RCMP Detachment are all involved in the investigation.

Potatoes from this farm may have been sold throughout Atlantic Canada. Anyone who finds any foreign metal objects in a table potato is asked to please not throw out the potato, metal object or the bag from which it was purchased. If one is found, people are asked to contact the East Prince RCMP at (902) 436-9300 to ensure the RCMP can obtain it.

The Guardian reports that so far just two potatoes have been found with metal objects inserted inside. The first was found on Monday in Labrador City – more than 1,800 kilometres away from Noggins Cove. It had a sewing needle inserted inside.

Finding needles inside of potatoes is a danger, no doubt, and it is unfortunately bad PR for a company that surely doesn’t deserve it.

But on a national scale, having the integrity of PEI potatoes casts doubt onto one of the country’s most iconic foodstuffs.

The loss of PEI potatoes from Canadian plates is tantamount to seeing British Columbia’s salmon supply cut short, losing Nova Scotian lobster or learning that Quebec’s maple syrup reserves had dried up.

Whoever this potato-tampering perpetrator (or perpetrators) is, they are guilty of more than just a local lark. The staunch starch spoiler has made this nation’s dinner menus a little weaker today.

The CFIA meantime has released an advisory announcing that Linkletter Farms Ltd. has launch a voluntary withdrawal of some products “following a consumer complaint in which a metal object appears to have been inserted into a potato.”

The affected crop was sold in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

"There have been no confirmed illnesses or injuries associated with the consumption of these products. As a precaution, consumers should carefully check potatoes for foreign objects," reads the recall notice.

Gary Linkletter, general manager of Linkletter Farms, told the Guardian that he’s not worried about the bad publicity, but rather about the safety of his customers.

“There’s no indication at all it’s an industry-wide thing, so people should feel comfortable eating P.E.I. potatoes from other packing sheds, but they should certainly refrain from anything from Linkletter or Market Town until we get things sorted out here,” he said.