This time last year, rats reportedly ran riot at Countdown Dunedin South (now Dunedin South Woolworths) — wheels of cheese were being eaten; rats had chewed through the wiring of a forklift and a freezer; containers of ingredients used to make pizza bases, and ciabatta, had been compromised; and there were rats in the aisles, staff told the Otago Daily Times.
A photo emerged of a rat sitting in the deli section more than eight weeks before the problem became public.
Eventually, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) stepped in and the supermarket at 323 Andersons Bay Rd closed its doors on February 9.
Woolworths management said at the time the store would be closed for the weekend to step up pest control efforts, after four rats were caught over the previous four days.
However, over that weekend pest controllers caught 13 rats in the store, and another four were caught overnight on the Sunday.
Every time a rat was caught, or caught on camera, the store’s reopening date was pushed back and the supermarket did not reopen until February 28.
During the closure, Woolworths’ management apologised to the public as more than 20 rats were captured and rats nests were discovered in the walls.
On February 14 last year, New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said an investigation into the rat infestation would establish "the causes of the problem and make whatever changes are necessary to prevent it from happening in future and in some occasions, whether enforcement or prosecution action is necessary".
Yesterday, the results of the investigation remained under wraps.
Mr Arbuckle said officials were satisfied there were no ongoing food safety issues with the Dunedin South store and Woolworths had taken appropriate steps to address the rodent infestation incident.
"As I said last year, the investigation into the rat infestation at Countdown Dunedin South would establish the causes of the problem and make whatever changes are necessary to prevent it from happening in future and in some occasions, whether enforcement or prosecution action is necessary.
"We take this matter seriously, as we do with all food complaints.
"We consider it important to be thorough in considering next steps and have legal obligations to fairness and due process.
"We are not able to provide a specific timeframe to fully conclude this matter but can assure consumers that we are taking all appropriate steps."
Last month an official information request by the ODT was declined by MPI on the grounds the information would be likely to "prejudice the maintenance of the law, including the prevention, investigation, and detection of offences".
"The fact-finding portion of this investigation has been completed, however the overall investigation and engagement with Woolworths remains ongoing," Food risk management director Jenny Bishop said.
"NZFS [New Zealand Food Safety] will consider what information pertaining to the investigation is able to be publicly released once the investigation has been completed."
