Supermarket withdraws soup after needle found

A Dutch-owned supermarket chain pulled soup cans from the shelves of its stores in four states after a family reported finding a sewing needle in a sealed can of minestrone, officials said.

The incident was the fifth report of needles or pins found in food purchased from area stores in the past two weeks. The soup was purchased on Saturday at a Giant Food Store in Wind Gap, Pennsylvania.

Company spokesman Dennis Hopkins said store personnel pulled cans with similar lot numbers from shelves of all stores as a precaution. He said the chain was also increasing its undercover security until further notice.

Police in Wind Gap, about 60 miles north of Philadelphia, are investigating.

Giant, owned by the Dutch food company Ahold, operates 122 supermarkets in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.