- TAMPA -- Orange juice is
synonymous with Florida, and is a vital product to the Sunshine State's
economy. But a scare over cross-contamination with toxic waste has the
industry fighting a public relations battle.
-
- Tankers haul millions of gallons of orange juice from
Florida plants every year. Last year, some of those tankers also were used
to haul toxic waste from the Piney Point phosphate plant -- a plant so
polluted that the state ordered billions of gallons of wastewater removed
because it was a danger to the environment.
-
- Indian River Transport, the shipping company in question,
was supposed to use only food grade tanks to transport the orange juice,
but didn't. Now there is a state and federal investigation into the practices.
-
- The state told the Florida Citrus Commission on Wednesday
that all tankers that shipped toxic waste were sanitized before being used
for O.J.
-
- "Our inspectors are investigating along with the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. At this point, we know of no public
health risk," insisted Dr. Margaret Roberts of the state Department
of Agriculture.
-
- Commissioners seemed convinced there was no health risk,
but they still have to convince the public.
-
- "If there's a perception problem, that's important
to us. Because we've got the best, most safe product in the world,"
stated Bob Crawford of the Florida Citrus Department.
-
- The Florida Department of Citrus spends millions of dollars
each year promoting orange juice. But some worry that this news could cripple
the industry, based on comments from people like Kisha Davis.
-
- "I don't want to serve them orange juice any more,"
she said of her juice-loving children. "I don't care. There's still
that chance of contamination. There's still that chance. Let's say that
he didn't clean the truck out good."
-
- While the industry waits to see how the public will react
to the news, the state legislature may spring into action to protect the
citrus reputation by passing legislation to prohibit the carrying of any
food item in a non-food container.
-
- The E.W. Scripps Co. ©
-
- http://www.wfts.com/stories/2003/10/031029citrus.shtml
|
