It will likely cost more than $5 million in detection equipment and rewards, but Prince Edward Island potatoes will soon be safer than ever, says an industry representative.
A saboteur, or possibly several, tampered with potatoes in Atlantic Canada last year and this spring.
In the fall, Cavendish Farms found potatoes contaminated with sewing needles at a processing plant in P.E.I. This spring, consumers in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and P.E.I. discovered fresh potatoes with nails inside after purchasing bags of the vegetable at the supermarket.
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No arrests have been made in the cases, which may or may not be linked.
In late June, the P.E.I. Potato Board increased its reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the tampering cases. The reward is now $500,000, up from $100,000.
“The producers and other folks in the industry … they figured that $100,000 didn’t do it, so they thought more money might,” said Greg Donald, general manager of the potato board.
The Maritimes industry is also investing millions to detect foreign objects in potatoes before the spuds get to grocery stores or processing plants.
The federal and P.E.I. governments are supporting the safeguarding effort. They have contributed $1.9 million to help farmers and processors buy and install detection equipment.
“Farms that have already been affected by food tampering have incurred losses of more than $1 million, and the costs associated with installing foreign material detection equipment will exceed $5 million,” said P.E.I. Potato Board chair Alex Docherty
Donald said operations that pack fresh potatoes are installing most of the detection equipment.
“There are various different technologies that will scan for different types of foreign materials,” he said, noting the companies will use metal detectors, X-rays and infrared technology.
“Forty different operations have installed, are in the process of, or have applied … for assistance to put in equipment.”
Donald said checking for tampered potatoes is standard practice in french fry and potato processing plants, but such safeguards are atypical for fresh potatoes.
“It’s very uncommon in fresh fruit and vegetables to have technology in place to monitor fresh fruit and vegetables for foreign material,” he said.
Hazardous objects within potatoes have generated headlines throughout Atlantic Canada and across North America over the last nine months, but Donald said most consumers have maintained faith in P.E.I. potatoes
“We haven’t been able to measure any impact … on the sales.”
The detection technology is expensive, but the potato industry in the Maritimes may ultimately benefit from the investment.
Donald said the equipment will improve the safety of potatoes in the region and could enhance the reputation of Atlantic Canada spuds.
Companies and farmers across Canada have responded to the potato tampering cases, he added, with industry firms and grower groups helping fund the $500,000 reward.
“Not only did local producers, business and industry (donate) … but also other areas of Canada have contributed,” Donald said.
“We’re quite overwhelmed by the support from folks in the industry.”
