Health Ministry monitors orange juice from Brazil
Posted on January 16, 2012, Monday
KUCHING: In the wake of the discovery of traces of fungicide poison residue called `Carbendazim’ in certain brands of orange juice in the United States, the Health Ministry here will monitor all orange extract drinks imported from Brazil.
In a press statement on Saturday, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Shirlin Abdul Rashid Shirlin said her ministry was taking precautions in response to a news report ‘Coke Fungicide Prompts Test of Minute Maid and Simply Orange Juices’ released by the Associated Press (AP) on last Friday.
The report stated that global soft drink producer Coca-Cola company, which is based in Atlanta, had informed the federal authority of their finding of traces of Carbendazim in an orange juice manufactured by the company and its competitor in a scale of 35 parts per billion (ppb). The report revealed that the orange extracts used in the manufacturing of the company product were imported from Brazil.
“Carbendazim are not allowed to be used in citrus fruits (including oranges) and orange juice in the United States, but it is allowed in Brazil to control fungus and fungus spore in orange plants.
“Based on the risk evaluation conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Carbendazim residue in orange juice which does not exceed 80 pps would not be a hazard to health.
“However, based on Schedule 16, Rule 41, of the Food Regulation 1985, Carbendazim is not allowed in orange juice at all,” Rosnah said.
Based on the two import data from the Food Safety Information System of Malaysia (FoSIM), no oranges from Brazil were ever brought into the country since 2010. However, a total of 2,775 metric tonne of orange juice worth RM15 million were imported to the country from Brazil.
As a precautionary measure, the Health Ministry would monitor all orange extracts imported from Brazil through FoSIM, to ensure that the regulation of the Food Act 1983 and Food Regulation 1985 are met.
The ministry reminded the public not to worry as strict monitoring measures and enforcement on food safety was being taken to ensure that the health and safety of the consumers were guaranteed.
