Systems need to evolve

Dr Kim Phan-Thien, a lecturer in food science at the University of Sydney, said the industry was not prepared for this kind of intentional contamination.

"The things we're usually concerned about are the accidental contaminants; spray drift or microbial contamination [which is] a natural risk in the production system."

She said the industry's hazard control systems would need to evolve to include vulnerability and threats.

"Not just looking for unintentional adulteration and contaminants but the intentional adulteration for economic gain or a malicious reason or a form of terrorism."

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She said the industry would be looking at how to respond to this case.

"An event like this will cause people to think about moving that way, assessing if you are likely to be a target and how prepared you'll be if your are."

There are metal detectors in food manufacturing plants already, but they are there to pick up things like metal shavings that have come off equipment used in processing.

There have been other cases of contamination of food around the world including disgruntled employees contaminating irrigation water or putting needles in bread rolls but Dr Phan-Thien said it was unusual.

"It's very rare. I can't think of a case like this happening in Australia, particularly involving a method that involves harm to people."

She also warned consumers and the industry not to over-react.

"We shouldn't doubt the whole system.

"Fruit and vegetables are still good for us, and it's not just a failure in the industry to deal with an issue — its an unusual and shocking case."

Sabotage difficult to anticipate

Anthony Kachenko from industry research and development organisation Hort Innovation Australia said it had invested $10m in food safety projects over the past five years to deal primarily with food borne pathogens, such as listeria, and the risks that they could pose for consumers.

But he said it was difficult to reduce the risk of sabotage and that there was no question this had been an isolated incident.

"Australia prides itself on safe, healthy, nutritious produce and we have the utmost confidence in the produce that we grow both for the domestic and the export markets," he said.

"Our role is to invest in research… to mitigate and manage food safety and risks, broadly speaking, on farm.

"It is a tragedy to see an isolated incident like this occur, particularly with industries being very proactive and doing everything they can within their remit to deal with challenges like this."

He said the ramifications would be felt across the country, at a time when the season was peaking with a strong supply on the market.

Pick your own option

Meanwhile a strawberry company in the Riverina said the recent food contamination scare could push more people towards picking their own fruit.

Michael and Kylie Cashen are developing a hydroponic strawberry farm in Wagga Wagga as an agritourism venture.

They are just months away from their first harvest and they think the damage to the industry as a result of the strawberry tampering will be short-lived.

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