The FBI has opened an investigation after needles were found in sandwiches served on four Delta Air Lines flights bound for the US from the Netherlands.

The needles, which the authorities said appeared to be sewing needles, were found in five sandwiches prepared by the Amsterdam-based Gate Gourmet. Jim Tonges who first bit into the sandwich explained what happened.

"But the second bite, when I bit into it, it was like something jabbed me in the top of my mouth. My first impression was it was like a club sandwich, and maybe there was a toothpick in it, that type thing. That was my first impression. And so I tried to get it out, and it was, you know, it was stuck in there, so I had to dig it out. And when I got it out, I discovered it was a one-inch long needle. It was just like a sewing needle, but it didn't have an eye on end, it was sharp, pointed on both ends."

A Delta spokeswoman said the sandwiches, which are provided to business travellers free of charge, have been replaced as menu items with pre-packaged pizza on flights from Amsterdam. Attention and corrective action was primarily being focused on Amsterdam, where all four flights on which the foreign objects were found originated.

Written and Presented by Ann Salter