Fungicide Found In Florida Orange Juice, New News or Rehash

The following story first showed up in early 2012.  It has made a comeback among some blogs this year.  It seems it is the same story being reprinted rather than “new” news.  

The Food and Drug Administration says it has confirmed low levels of an illegal fungicide in orange juice samples taken from Florida manufacturers.

The FDA says the fungicide is far below dangerous levels, the juice is safe to drink and the orange juice won't be recalled from stores or destroyed. The juice tested was mixed with product from Brazil, where the fungicide carbendazim is used.

The government is testing for the chemical in domestic orange juice and in imports because carbendazim is not approved for use on oranges in the United States. It is used in other countries, including Brazil, to combat mold on orange trees.

The test results are the first domestic samples released by the FDA. The government started testing for the chemical after Atlanta-based Coca-Cola, which owns juice brands Minute Maid and Simply Orange, reported finding the chemical in its own juice and in competing juices late last year. Most orange juice products made by Coke and other companies contain a blend of juice from different sources, including Brazil, which is the world's largest orange producer.

The FDA said that nine of fourteen samples taken from large holding tanks of juice in Florida tested positive at up to 36 parts per billion. 

The Environmental Protection Agency has said studies show no risks of consuming the chemical at up to 80 parts per billion and true levels of danger are probably thousands of times higher.

The question raised relates to batches that would have contained a much higher percentage of the chemical from the ratio of oranges that were sourced from Brazil to non-contaminated Florida oranges.

This story about Florida orange juice contamination may not be new news but it is a cautionary tale about knowing the real source of your food or drink.

We want you to know that Sunburst Oranges, of course, doesn’t use carbendazim on our orange trees. So it can’t find its way into your orange juice that is made from our oranges.

Both health and taste wise there are few items that make a better start to your day than a twelve ounce glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. We think that from Sunburst Oranges, orange juice tastes even better.

Are you looking for the perfect gift for business associates, family or friends? A quick visit to http://sunburstoranges.com can solve all of your fresh gift giving adventures. We sell only the finest selections and the freshest citrus you can buy.

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Sunburst Packing Co.
180 South “E” Street
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