Atlantic Canada potato tampering connections sought

RCMP are trying to determine if there is any connection between several cases of potatoes with metal objects found in them this spring and similar incidents last fall.

Investigations are underway in all four Atlantic provinces following seven cases this month.

The potatoes were all from bags of Strang and Farmer's Market brand potatoes. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced a recall of the potatoes Saturday.

The May incidents follow several unsolved reports of tampered potatoes last fall. They were all linked to one farm,  Linkletter Farms of P.E.I..Others discovered at one of the Cavendish Farm's processing plants.

RCMP Sgt Leanne Butler told CBC News investigators are still trying to determine if there's a connection between the potatoes discovered in the fall, and the ones last week.

"We believe that these potatoes were from the 2014 stock, and probably were stored in a warehouse since they were harvested, so we don't believe any new potatoes at this time are affected."

"We're still investigating where the potatoes came from because the particular brands, those potatoes are brought in from a number of different places and packaged.  So that is part of the investigation."

Butler said if anyone else discovers tampered potatoes they should hold onto them and contact RCMP. Police are also encouraging anyone who has any information that may help with the investigation to come forward.

The P.E.I. Potato Board continues to offer a $100,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible.

For mobile device users: Have the potato tampering incidents affected your eating habits?