Chinese ginger recall limited to one load
Chinese ginger recall limited to one load
Although a poorly written press release seemingly states otherwise, the California Department of Public Health said that its warning against eating fresh ginger from China is limited only to specific lot numbers sold by Christopher Ranch of Gilroy, CA, between July 10 and July 26.
Inspectors from the California Department of Pesticide Regulations found trace residues of the pesticide aldicarb sulfoxide July 28 during a routine inspection of Chinese ginger at an Albertsons supermarket warehouse. By the next night, Christopher Ranch, which sold the product to Albertsons, had identified the suspect lots and issued a recall for 630 30-pound boxes.
Bill Christopher told The Produce News July 31 that the product was sold to various produce distributors and retail markets in several states, and that about 50 percent of the product had been successfully recalled by the morning of July 31. He said no illnesses had been reported, and the trace amounts of the pesticide present on the product tested would lead one to believe that there will be no illnesses associated with this recall.
The Christopher Ranch recall notice said that the product had been sold to produce distributors and retail markets in California, Michigan, Oregon Louisiana and Washington. While Christopher Ranch included the exact lot numbers of the cartons, and each carton identified the product as coming from China, the notice said that some of the ginger might have been sold in bulk bin displays with no point-of-origin signage.
The California Department of Public Health notice dated July 29 clearly warns consumers "not to eat fresh ginger imported from China" in its first paragraph. And that is what was reported Monday, July 30 by local media.
However, a spokesperson for the department told The Produce News that the third paragraph was more accurate in identifying the offending ginger as coming from Modern Trading Inc. in Alhambra, CA. The department had not changed its press release by the morning of Aug. 1, but local media outlets were correcting their earlier reports and indicating that the scope of the warning was limited to specific lots.
Mr. Christopher confirmed that the offending ginger had been purchased from Modern Trading Inc., which he said is one of the many companies from which Christopher Ranch buys Chinese ginger. Because of this situation, Mr. Christopher said that his firm would no longer sell Chinese ginger until such time that he could be assured there are no problems. He said that at this time of year, "about 96 or 97 percent of the ginger sold in the United States comes from China."
Mr. Christopher said that his firm sells about 1 million pounds of Chinese ginger annually but will be out of product until Brazil starts in two or three weeks. He said that it is a food-safety issue, and the company is taking no chances of having a repeat of this situation.
Press reports that Christopher Ranch was no longer going to carry Chinese ginger prompted importer Jim Provost of I Love Produce Inc. in West Grove, PA, to issue his own statement declaring that he is "100 percent confident that all of the ginger we sell in the United States is free of the aldicarb sulfoxide pesticide and all other pesticides."
Mr. Provost told The Produce News that it does a disservice to China and the Chinese ginger industry to imply that there is a widespread problem. He said that one importer had a problem with one load most likely because of cross contamination. He believes the ginger in question was grown in an area in close proximity to cotton fields, which routinely use aldicarb sulfoxide. "We don't import any of our ginger from that area," he stated.
Mr. Provost said that all the Chinese ginger he sells is rigorously tested and is determined to be free of pesticides before it is sold in the United States. Hawaii is the only state with a commercial ginger industry, according to both Messrs. Christopher and Provost. Hawaiian ginger is in season from November to April. Besides China, Brazil, Honduras and Costa Rica also sell ginger in the United States.
Mr. Provost said that Brazilian and Hawaiian ginger typically are more expensive, with a price around $25 per 30-pound box being routine. At that price structure, he said that Chinese ginger would probably sell for about $14 per box and Costa Rican and Honduran ginger would return $16-$18 per box.
Mr. Provost acknowledged that China is the low-cost leader, but he said that the product his firm imports is top quality. "We have first-hand knowledge of production practices in China.," he said. "We visit the farms and producers of our products each and every week of the year (from the company's office in China). This enables us to have the greatest product knowledge and provide the safest products and the highest quality."
Mr. Provost said July 31 that the market price for ginger from China had not reacted negatively, but he was afraid it would if public health officials from California did not clarify the scope of their warning. He said that he had been in touch with those officials, and they indicated that a corrected press release would be issued.
Inspectors from the California Department of Pesticide Regulations found trace residues of the pesticide aldicarb sulfoxide July 28 during a routine inspection of Chinese ginger at an Albertsons supermarket warehouse. By the next night, Christopher Ranch, which sold the product to Albertsons, had identified the suspect lots and issued a recall for 630 30-pound boxes.
Bill Christopher told The Produce News July 31 that the product was sold to various produce distributors and retail markets in several states, and that about 50 percent of the product had been successfully recalled by the morning of July 31. He said no illnesses had been reported, and the trace amounts of the pesticide present on the product tested would lead one to believe that there will be no illnesses associated with this recall.
The Christopher Ranch recall notice said that the product had been sold to produce distributors and retail markets in California, Michigan, Oregon Louisiana and Washington. While Christopher Ranch included the exact lot numbers of the cartons, and each carton identified the product as coming from China, the notice said that some of the ginger might have been sold in bulk bin displays with no point-of-origin signage.
The California Department of Public Health notice dated July 29 clearly warns consumers "not to eat fresh ginger imported from China" in its first paragraph. And that is what was reported Monday, July 30 by local media.
However, a spokesperson for the department told The Produce News that the third paragraph was more accurate in identifying the offending ginger as coming from Modern Trading Inc. in Alhambra, CA. The department had not changed its press release by the morning of Aug. 1, but local media outlets were correcting their earlier reports and indicating that the scope of the warning was limited to specific lots.
Mr. Christopher confirmed that the offending ginger had been purchased from Modern Trading Inc., which he said is one of the many companies from which Christopher Ranch buys Chinese ginger. Because of this situation, Mr. Christopher said that his firm would no longer sell Chinese ginger until such time that he could be assured there are no problems. He said that at this time of year, "about 96 or 97 percent of the ginger sold in the United States comes from China."
Mr. Christopher said that his firm sells about 1 million pounds of Chinese ginger annually but will be out of product until Brazil starts in two or three weeks. He said that it is a food-safety issue, and the company is taking no chances of having a repeat of this situation.
Press reports that Christopher Ranch was no longer going to carry Chinese ginger prompted importer Jim Provost of I Love Produce Inc. in West Grove, PA, to issue his own statement declaring that he is "100 percent confident that all of the ginger we sell in the United States is free of the aldicarb sulfoxide pesticide and all other pesticides."
Mr. Provost told The Produce News that it does a disservice to China and the Chinese ginger industry to imply that there is a widespread problem. He said that one importer had a problem with one load most likely because of cross contamination. He believes the ginger in question was grown in an area in close proximity to cotton fields, which routinely use aldicarb sulfoxide. "We don't import any of our ginger from that area," he stated.
Mr. Provost said that all the Chinese ginger he sells is rigorously tested and is determined to be free of pesticides before it is sold in the United States. Hawaii is the only state with a commercial ginger industry, according to both Messrs. Christopher and Provost. Hawaiian ginger is in season from November to April. Besides China, Brazil, Honduras and Costa Rica also sell ginger in the United States.
Mr. Provost said that Brazilian and Hawaiian ginger typically are more expensive, with a price around $25 per 30-pound box being routine. At that price structure, he said that Chinese ginger would probably sell for about $14 per box and Costa Rican and Honduran ginger would return $16-$18 per box.
Mr. Provost acknowledged that China is the low-cost leader, but he said that the product his firm imports is top quality. "We have first-hand knowledge of production practices in China.," he said. "We visit the farms and producers of our products each and every week of the year (from the company's office in China). This enables us to have the greatest product knowledge and provide the safest products and the highest quality."
Mr. Provost said July 31 that the market price for ginger from China had not reacted negatively, but he was afraid it would if public health officials from California did not clarify the scope of their warning. He said that he had been in touch with those officials, and they indicated that a corrected press release would be issued.
