Abstract: This invention relates to a pitting needle and malfunction detector for use in automatic fruit pitting machinery. The needle has a bottom portion which is releasably fixed with respect to a holder. Movement of the bottom portion with respect to the holder as, for example, when a foreign object is struck, is sensed and, as a result thereof, an alarm is sensed and/or the machinery is stopped. In one embodiment, the needles are made in two parts and movement of one part with respect to the other is detected by a pressure sensor which is electrically connected to a power supply for the machinery to render it inoperative. In another embodiment, the needle is made in one part and the shank of the needle is releasably mounted in a holder bar which contains electrical, electro-mechanical, or pneumatic sensing means to detect movement of the needle with respect to the holder bar.