COMMUNICATON TO PRESS

In regard to information published in the press that the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) has detected low levels of fungicide in an orange juice batch coming from Brazilian processors, we communicate that the use of that fungicide (carbendazim) is allowed under Brazilian legislation, as well as in the legislation of the main importing countries of orange juice (European Union, Japan and Canada). The referred fungicide, utilized in many agricultural products for human consumption, is used in citrus production to combat the “Black Spot”, a common kind of fungus in orange groves.

The FDA and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have conducted a preliminary risk assessment based on the reports of carbendazim in orange juice. Based on that risk assessment, EPA has concluded that consumption of orange juice with carbendazim at low levels that have been reported does not raise safety concerns. The FDA also stated that carbendazim, in despite of being approved for use in other cultures, has not been registered under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for utilization in citrus groves. Thus, the American authorities do not intend to take any measure of control regarding the Brazilian orange juice in the country, being it free for consumption.