FDA tests entire U.S. orange juice supply for illegal chemical found in imports from Brazil
by Polina
The United State’s entire orange juice supply is being tested by the Food and Drug Administration for an illegal fungicide after it was found in products imported from Brazil.
U.S. health regulators said on Wednesday they expect to release testing results for the fungicide called carbendazim that is illegal for U.S. citrus by the end of the week.
‘We hope to have some quality-checked results by the end of the week,’ said Siobhan DeLancey, an FDA spokeswoman.
Found: Low levels of the fungicide carbendazim have been found in the U.S. after their import from Brazil, the top grower accounting for more than 10 percent of the U.S. supply
The chemical commonly used in Brazil to fight mold on orange trees has so far been found in low levels in the juice according to officials and were not considered dangerous.
Brands such as Tropicana, from PepsiCo Inc, and Minute Maid, from Coca-Cola Co, may use a mix of juices sourced from Brazil and the United States.
An FDA spokeswoman said the company’s testing found levels up to 35 parts per billion of the fungicide, far below the European Union’s maximum residue level of 200 parts per billion.
