Dole Japan Inc., a producer of fruits and vegetables, said Wednesday it will recall approximately 9,000 bunches of packaged Philippine bananas due to concerns of tampering.
The company found a wire approximately 3 cm long in a banana during a voluntary inspection at its facility in the city of Kawasaki on Friday.
The company reported the incident to local police, believing someone in the Philippines inserted the wire into the banana. The fruit subject to recall is being sold at supermarkets and greengrocers across Japan.
In a second instance of possible food tampering, Dole Japan received a complaint on Monday over the phone from a consumer in Aichi Prefecture who said a piece of wire was discovered when eating a banana. The customer did not suffer an injury and no other health problems have been reported.
"We sincerely apologize for causing significant inconvenience and worry," the company said in a statement.