NT Government officials have today announced a needle was found in a punnet of strawberries sold in Nightcliff.

The punnet was purchased some days ago but the discovery was reported to police at 8.30pm yesterday.

Deputy NT Police Commissioner (Capability and Specialist Services) Grant Nicholls and NT Health chief executive, Catherine Stoddart announced the shock find.

Only yesterday it was reported a needle was discovered in a mango purchased from a shop just north of Sydney.

Food tamperers could spent 10 to 15 years behind bars under draft laws passed by the government on Thursday.

The changes were rushed through parliament in less than four hours, after Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for tough sanctions.

This new definition ties food contamination to national security.

More than 100 reports of tampered fruit are being investigated by police across the country, many of which are thought to be fake or copycat cases.

One young boy in NSW has already been arrested over behaviour that "could be called a prank", police said, and he would be dealt with under the youth cautioning system.