University food services and area supermarkets have removed imported Chilean grapes from menus and store shelves in response to warnings by the Food and Drug Administration.

Two grapes from the South American country were found to be injected with cyanide after inspection at a Philadelphia shipping dock.

Food Service Director Robert Fredrickson said they made the decision in response to media coverage of the problem.

“We disposed of any grapes that we had on hand,” and then “notified suppliers that we did not want any more grapes until the problem was cleared up,” Fredrickson said.

The unavailability of the fruit was not much of a problem because the incident occurred during spring break and there was not much stock on hand, Fredrickson said.

Jim Kohout, Holmes Student Center Food Services unit manager, said there have not been any major menu changes for food services at the student center.

However, grapes were removed from the menu for the meeting of the National Association of Colleges and Universities on March 14.

Jewel Food Store Representative Mike DePaola said supermarkets have taken all Chilean fruit off their shelves in response to the FDA warnings.

“Jewel immediately removed the fruit from its shelves and put it under quarantine in their back freezer,” he said.

DePaola said Jewel recalled all Chilean fruit purchased by consumers after the FDA warnings and said those consumers who returned the fruit received refunds.

Though DePaola said many people returned the fruit, he added that the number of those who did not return the Chilean imports also was very large.

The FDA released a statement a few days ago stating that 13,000 new cases of grapes were tested for cyanide and no traces of the lethal substance were found in any of the fruit, DePaola said.

The FDA is starting to allow the importation of Chilean fruit once again into the United States, DePaola said.

Since the FDA has allowed for the continued importation of Chilean fruits, DePaola said, “stores were asked to destroy the grapes already in quarantine …” to ensure safety.