MPI’s verdict on bugs in cheese angers Whangārei shopper

A shopper who found two insects in a block of supermarket cheese says he’s dismayed by the food safety authority’s finding that no one’s to blame - except maybe him.

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFS) delivered its verdict yesterday afternoon on the incident, saying it was “highly unlikely” insects found in the 1kg block of Woolworths branded Everyday cheese had originated either “from the manufacturer or supplier”.

The authority noted the cheese was collected from the complainant’s house by a food safety officer who found “no sign of indentation” on the plastic wrapper.

However, notwithstanding that, the investigation had ultimately concluded it was possible the insects got into the product in the shopper’s home.

Onerahi pensioner Ian Score contacted the authority in April, this year, after discovering what it later identified as an “immature Gisborne cockroach and adult scuttle fly” in a $10 block of cheese he bought from Woolworths Okara Park, Whangārei, store.

The cockroach came into view as he first opened the cheese and peeled back the wrapper just enough to cut a couple of slices off for a late night snack. The critter, which had been hidden by labelling on the wrapper, was partly embedded and impressed into the top of the cheese and looked as though it may have got there during either the manufacturing or wrapping processes, Score said.

He didn’t see the scuttle fly (also known as a coffin fly) further down the unwrapped cheese until it was noticed by a reporter who visited to see the cheese. A comparatively tiny creature, the scuttle fly was hidden by the overhanging edge of the cheese wrapper. It too was partly embedded beneath the surface of the cheese, which was tightly contacted by the undisturbed wrapper.

The cockroach Ian Score found partly embedded in a block of Woolworths Everyday cheese he bought from the supermarket's Okara Park store. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A reporter noticed this second, much smaller, insect - later identified as a scuttle fly - when she met with Ian Score to discuss his concerns over insects in the cheese. It too was partly embedded under the surface of the cheese. Photo / Michael Cunningham.

The inference by NZFS that the bugs got into the cheese at his place was an impossibility - “unless the bugs had magical powers,” Score said.

He thought it would make a great cartoon “with a couple of bugs getting (Star Trek’s) Scotty to beam them into the cheese”.

The “staccato” way in which the official spoke when delivering the news to him over the phone seemed to suggest she knew his reaction would be one of disbelief, Score said.

And he had indeed “felt pretty heated up” by the findings, he said.

In a media release, NZFS deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said, “After thoroughly investigating the complaint, we are satisfied this was an isolated incident and the contamination did not occur during manufacturing, wrapping and transporting of the product..

“Although this left the possibility that the insects contaminated the product in the home, the complainant had raised the issue in good faith.

“We are grateful for any complaints and information we receive from the public and use them as the starting point for further inquiries. We are always guided by the evidence as food safety is too important to make assumptions.”

Arbuckle said investigators had looked at all stages in the cheese block’s production and ruled them out as the possible point of contamination.

“The manufacturer of the bulk blocks of cheese has good food safety procedures in place, with thorough records, including for cleaning and pest contamination.

“Scuttle flies are found worldwide, but the Gisborne cockroach is unlikely to be found as far south as where the cheese was manufactured.

“The cutter and wrapper of the blocks of cheese has good food safety procedures in place, including the machinery being cleaned and inspected daily. There have been no cockroach sightings in the critical hygiene area and there is no history of insects being an issue at this site.

“During processing, the 20kg bulk blocks have their outer edges trimmed off before being cut into 1kg pieces, making it very unlikely for an insect to be found intact on a cutting surface.

“The plastic wrapper is inspected before application, and a cockroach could not remain intact during the high-speed wrapping process.

“Once the cheese is sealed, it is not possible for a cockroach to get into the cheese during transport or in the store.

NZFS would not shy away from identifying failures in food businesses and taking action where necessary, all the way to prosecution, Arbuckle said. “However, if there is no failure on the part of a food business and an incident is more likely to have occurred in the home, we will communicate the outcomes of our investigations when there has been widespread public interest in a case. This ensures public confidence in the food safety system and any businesses involved.”

Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years’ experience in journalism, much of which she spent court reporting. She is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.