IN WAKE OF CONTROVERSY OVER ARSENIC IN APPLE JUICE CONCENTRATE FROM CHINA...
SCHUMER CALLS ON MAJOR APPLE JUICE PRODUCERS TO BUY MORE APPLES FROM WESTERN NEW YORK AND THROUGHOUT UPSTATE - WOULD CUT DOWN ON POTENTIAL FOR HARMFUL TOXINS FROM CHINA AND BOOST MAJOR INDUSTRY IN FINGER LAKES REGION
Currently the FDA Does Not Have Standards For Testing Levels Of Inorganic Arsenic In Juice Concentrates Coming From China - While Juice Is Safe, Potential Impact Of Repeated Consumption Is Unknown
To Ensure That New Yorkers Aren't Potentially Exposed to Inorganic Arsenic in Pesticides, Schumer Calls On Major Juice Producers To Use More New York Apples - NY Farmers Like Those In Orleans County Produce Apples Without Harmful Chemicals
Schumer: More Apple Juice Should Come From NY's Orchards
On Friday, at the Partyka Farms orchard in Kendall, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer called on major apple juice producers to use more New York apples in their product following the recent controversy over potentially harmful inorganic arsenic found in apple concentrate made in China. Schumer is pressing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to put in place clear standards for imported fruit and vegetable juice concentrates and step up inspection of concentrates from countries that use toxic, inorganic arsenic in their pesticides, or with high levels of environmental contaminants. There currently are no FDA standards for toxic, inorganic arsenic in juice concentrates. Many juice concentrates are now imported from China, a country infamous for lax standards and the rampant use of toxic additives and chemicals, including inorganic arsenic, in their food supply. While Schumer continues to press the FDA to establish standards for inorganic arsenic in juice concentrates, he encouraged major juice producers to buy and use apples from orchards in Upstate New York, where standards for apple growers are much higher, resulting in concentrate free of potentially harmful toxins.
"Our apple juice producers should be serving our kids apple juice produced from the orchards right here in Upstate New York," said Schumer. "It's the right thing to do for families who want their kids drinking apple juice that they know was produced with care and the right thing to do for our blossoming apple industry. Apple growers in Western New York, the Finger Lakes and beyond produce some of the best apples around. Let's make more of our juice from those apples, instead of apples grown in faraway fields in China. I'm going to keep the heat on the FDA to set in place clear standards on inorganic arsenic in our juice, and in the meantime push the juice producers to get more of their apples from the Empire State."
Schumer was joined by Partyka Farm owners Jeff and Lora Partyka, local elected officials, and representatives from New York Farm Bureau as he announced his push for major apple juice producers to use New York apple products. Based on the most recently available data from 2007, New York State has a total of 1,350 apple producing farms that total about 49,900 acres. In the 9-County Finger Lakes region there are 454 apple-producing farms with 20,000 fruit-bearing acres. Last year, in Orleans County, there were 45 apple producers out of a total of 75 farms, and more than 6,000 acres of land are used for apples. Schumer noted that this availability of high-quality New York apples is an ideal alternative for major apple producers who currently import juice concentrates from countries like China, where toxic, inorganic arsenic is often found in their pesticides.
Apple growers like those at Partyka Farm do not use inorganic, arsenic in pesticides and clearly New York grown apples are a better option for juice makers to use in their concentrates. American farmers must comply with strict standards put forth by the EPA, USDA and FDA and produce a higher quality product.
Partyka Farm produces apples and other products for fresh market and wholesale to outlets like Wegmans and other local supermarkets. Partyka Farm also sells apples to Motts in Williamson, Wayne County, for production of apple sauce and apple juice. Schumer noted that while Motts uses exclusively New York State apples for its apple sauce, it does not for its concentrate. Partyka Farms' sale of apples for juice and apple sauce is an important part of the farm's strategy and augments their core wholesale business. Schumer is urging major apple juice producers, like Motts, to purchase apples from Upstate farmers for their apple juice production, which would further bolster the business of local farmers.
As Schumer urged major apple producers to utilize apples from Upstate New York for their production, he also stressed his continued push for the FDA to establish standards for juice concentrates, similar to those of bottled water. Schumer is calling on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide clear, concise, science-based standards and provide greater inspection of imported juice concentrates from countries like China that use toxic, inorganic arsenic in their pesticides or have high levels of environmental contaminants in order to protect our children's health. Schumer pointed out that there are currently no FDA standards for toxic, inorganic arsenic in juice concentrates. Many juice concentrates are now imported from China, a country infamous for lax standards and the rampant use of toxic additives and chemicals, including inorganic arsenic, in their food supply. Conversely, Schumer noted that Upstate New York apple producers are held to a significantly higher standard, and would be ideal products for major apple juice producers.
The FDA has acted to prevent toxic pear juice from being imported into the United States before. In 2008, FDA officials analyzed shipments of pear juice concentrate from China and found elevated levels of inorganic arsenic. Earlier this year, citing its 2008 findings, FDA issued an import alert allowing ports to detain shipments of pear juice and pear juice concentrate from specific Chinese producers and exporters. The March 2011 import alert also states that surveillance of heavy metals in fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates from all countries is warranted.
Given the dangers of inorganic arsenic, the FDA has long held stringent standards for the levels arsenic of bottle water: a quantity of 10 parts per billion of inorganic arsenic in a batch of bottled water is considered dangerously high by the FDA. However, the FDA has not set a standard for arsenic in fruit juice. Although the FDA argues that standards for juice concentrates similar to standards in place for water are not necessary because American's consume far less juice than they do water, Schumer argued that because juice is often consumed by children who may be more vulnerable to chemicals greater precaution was necessary.
A copy of Senator Schumer's letter to President Richard Cristol appears below:
Richard E. Cristol
President
Juice Products Association
750 National Press Building
529 14th St, NW
Washington, DC 20045
Dear Mr. Cristol,
As the nation's fruit juice manufacturing and products trade association I appreciate your efforts to promote high standards in the safety and quality of the products your members sell to consumers. While recent reports and studies, which you dispute, have raised concerns about the amount of inorganic arsenic that may be in found in imported fruit and apple juice concentrate used by domestic producers, one thing is for certain: apples and fruits grown in New York state are wholesome and free from the inorganic arsenic containing pesticides that are still used in farms and orchards overseas. As such, I strongly encourage your producers to look to source more of your juice concentrate from domestic sources, particularly New York State's apple and fruit growers.
Indeed, New York State is home to many apple juice processors from Brooklyn to Niagara County, many of which have successfully used apples grown in New York. With 1,350 farms cultivating 49,900 acres of orchard each year, New York fruit and apple growers are uniquely situated to produce the quality fruit and concentrate desired by consumers for themselves, their children, and their families.
Again, as you work with your members to assess how best to assure they produce healthy and safe juice at the utmost quality, I urge you to look to our New York State orchards. I stand ready to work with you to pursue this opportunity and look forward to your response.