Joint Media Release
Food Irradiation Watch – Friends of the Earth Brisbane

March 14, 2006

Zapped Aussie Mangoes Case Shock in New Zealand

Food Irradiation Watch (FI Watch) and Friends of the Earth Brisbane (FoEB) are concerned that unlabelled irradiated Australian mangoes were on sale in New Zealand last week.

According to Bob Tait, Co-director of Friends of the Earth NZ, the mangoes were marketed under the AustralianGold brand – a product from Pinata Marketing, Wamuran, QLD. Irradiated mangoes must be labelled under the Australian
and New Zealand Food Standards Code.

Mr. Tait found a discarded box with one small sticker on it stating that the mangoes were irradiated, in an alley by the store. There were no signs in the store, nor any labels on the mangoes that informed shoppers that they had been irradiated. He also found two other stores in the Fresh World chain selling the unlabelled irradiated mangoes.

Spokesperson for FI Watch and FoEB, Robin Taubenfeld, says that “the discovery of unlabelled irradiated fruit in New Zealand indicates a failure of the food standards code to protect consumers.”

“We already had concerns that labelling laws themselves were inadequate, this discovery indicates that the system is ill-prepared to enforce those laws.”

“Consumers deserve and want to know the truth about their food; most have serious reservations about food irradiation. It is an untested and questionable practice and the public is not being adequately informed.”

In New Zealand, the scandal has been reported in the NZ Herald, and FoE(NZ) have laid formal complaints with the NZFSA and the Public Health authority in Auckland.

Mr. Tait stated that "The importers, Turners and Growers, are active in a joint venture in Australia to build even more irradiation plants. Their importation of irradiated mangoes without specific labelling, and the failure of the retailers to
display any signage to give consumers a basis for informed choice, shows a contempt for consumer rights, as well as for the Food Safety Code legal requirements. We are seeking prosecutions.”

It is believed that the mangoes were irradiated at the Steritech nuclear irradiation plant in Narangba/Deception Bay, north of Brisbane.

Food Irradiation Watch will be making a complaint to Australia New Zealand Food Standards this week.

To address their concerns about food irradiation, FI Watch has recently produced an ˜Irradiation Free Food Guide.” Preview copies are avaiable from FI Watch and the Guide will soon be available on line.

http://www.foodirradiationinfo.org
Media contact: Robin Taubenfeld FI Watch 0411 118 737