Needle found in freezer at Jacksonville supermarket

A photo has gone viral after a concerned shopper discovered a needle in the ice cream section at their local Winn-Dixie chain.

The photo was posted to a local community Facebook page where it caused a frenzy among concerned shoppers. The Winn-Dixie in Jacksonville assured customers that the needle has been removed and that the area has been thoroughly sanitized to stop the risk of infection. The store has since conducted a search of the property to ensure any similar items are found.

The hypodermic needle in question was identified as a needle commonly used for medication, making it different from the fine needles used in acupuncture or tattooing. Regardless, needles have the potential to transmit potentially fatal pathogens and diseases in careless hands.

"The safety of our customers is always our number one priority and we have taken this incident very seriously," explains Kathy Shaffer, the senior manager of Southeastern Grocers. "After a thorough investigation, we determined that the item is commonly used for medication. As part of our process, local law enforcement was contacted to recover the item. The area was thoroughly cleaned and all reasonable precautions were taken, including the removal of all product from the frozen foods section in which the item was found."

Of course, it's not uncommon for debris or other items to wind up in the shipment. In fact, it's estimated that almost 12 million trucks and rail cars move goods across the country. But unclean needles hold a particular threat for unsuspecting shoppers.

Since Florida became one of the newest states to adopt the needle exchange program, this drug intervention program has been vital in reducing infections and pathogens among drug users and other struggling individuals. Through programs like these, individuals are able to exchange dirty needles for clean options at moving sites, typically through easily-identifiable vans. For Florida's huge heroin and fentanyl problem, intervention efforts are essential in stopping the spread of diseases in these communities.

It serves as a type of mobile medical van. Some states have mobile medical units to help tamper the one billion colds experienced each year, but these vans are designed to stop infections from happening in the first place.

While the supermarket chain hasn't explained who left the needle or why the syringe owner put it there in the first place, local shoppers are disgusted at the thought of their children encountering a needle in such a child-friendly area. Even NPR notes that the needle exchange program's presence doesn't mean that individuals will actually use the program to their advantage.

"Scary and disgusting. That's bad," notes shopper Alexis Mauldin. "It kind of makes me mad because what if was a disease on there and my child goes to put his hand in there and it sticks him?"

After all, it's estimated that 87% of Americans have ice cream in their home at any given time, many of whom rely on children to grab their favorite flavors in the store. Mauldin explains that this is far more serious than an average prank.

In the meantime, shoppers can only rest assured that the chain is doing all it can to ensure the safety of its customers.