Australian couple finds frog in lettuce, but what they did next is unexpected

An Australian couple got an unexpected surprise after finding a live frog inside a packaged bag of lettuce bought from a Woolworths supermarket, prompting both amusement and an investigation into how the tiny hitchhiker ended up there. The unusual incident was first reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

According to the ABC, the frog was not spotted at the store but only discovered after the lettuce had been taken home from a Woolworths outlet in Esperance, Western Australia.

Laura Jones, who found the frog along with her partner, told the broadcaster that the unexpected guest needed a little time to recover after its supermarket journey.

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“We got him some fresh air, and then he released it with the lettuce,” Ms Jones told the ABC.

The couple later released the frog, affectionately named “Greg," near a local dam close to their home. Recounting the moment to the broadcaster, Jones said the frog appeared to settle right back into nature.

“We live close to a dam [he] had a little swim around with his lettuce and away he hopped,” she said, according to the ABC.

Her partner, Mr Le Pine, described the moment as one of the strangest surprises he had experienced.

“That was the most random thing I've ever encountered while opening a bag of lettuce,” he said, adding that he was simply relieved the frog safely made it back to its natural habitat.

Following the incident, a spokesperson for Western Australia’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development reminded people to report any insects, plants or animals found in packaged goods, particularly produce that may have travelled across state lines or from overseas, the ABC reported.

Meanwhile, Woolworths confirmed to the ABC that it is investigating the incident with suppliers “as a priority,” while maintaining that it appears to be an isolated case.

The supermarket chain told the broadcaster that it takes food safety and product quality “very seriously”, adding that suppliers follow several inspection procedures before produce is packaged and sent to stores.

According to Woolworths’ statement to the ABC, lettuce undergoes washing and multiple quality checks, including inspections for any foreign material, before being sealed and distributed.

Interestingly, this is not the first time an animal has turned up inside packaged salad products sold by the retailer. As noted in the ABC report, a viral incident in 2016 involved a shopper discovering a large spider inside a pre-packaged Italian salad mix purchased from Woolworths.

The frog’s accidental journey may sound bizarre, but experts say it is not entirely unheard of.

Speaking to ABC Radio, amphibian expert Dr Jodi Rowley from the Australian Museum Research Institute explained that frogs are surprisingly common produce “hitchhikers” in Australia.

“In Australia, frogs are known to hitchhike bananas and other produce down from Queensland into the sort of southern states,” Dr Rowley told the broadcaster.

Far from being a warning sign, the expert pointed out that finding a frog in produce could sometimes indicate the vegetables were grown in a healthy ecosystem, suggesting the lettuce might have come from a thriving natural environment.