Following thirteen cases of Hepatitis A infection attributed to its Nanna's froxen mixed berries, Patties Foods is trying to pour oil on troubled waters.
The berries were grown in Chile and China before being packaged at a Chinese factory. Patties Foods has insisted that samples of the berry products were tested four times using Australian food standards and has reassured Australia they it hasbeen working with the FSANZ to keep the public informed of their investigations.
Patties Foods chief executive, Steven Chaur, also stated in a press release that was still no "firm association [of hepatitis A] with our recalled products".
"Many Chinese food production facilities also supply European and Japanese food markets, and they also have extremely strict hygiene and quality standards.
"Despite public misconceptions, many Chinese food production facilities are at least as hygienic as those in Australia and operate to similar regulatory compliance regimes."
What is clear, is that Australian food labelling rules are going to become more stringent.
When Choice tested fifty-five packs of frozen mixed fruits and mixed vegetables, it found that nearly half the labels on the packs had "vague" or "unhelpful" information.
Choice contends that information like, "Packed in New Zealand", "Packed in Chile from imported and local ingredients" and "Processed in Belgium", do not communicate clearly. Moreover, 12% of its 700 members were not able to understand the meaning of "Made in Australia".
"These claims offer very little information about a product's origin and are largely meaningless to consumers," Choice spokesman, Tom Godfrey, noted.
Agriculture minister, Barnaby Joyce, has made the only move possible given that a ban on imported food is not feasible – or even diesrable. He has placed himself at the spearhead of a movement to change the country-of-origin labelling laws to stop manufacturers from using "sneaky terms" to "earn a premium" on cheaply made products.
Under current laws, the term "made from Australian and imported ingredients" is able to be applied without any detail as to the exact origins of all the ingredients in a product or where it was packaged.
"I want to make sure I do everything in my power to say to people your safest food is your domestic food. That is why you pay a premium for Australian product. It is clean, green and healthy," Joyce stated.
His department has also confirmed that a white paper on the potential legislation changes is due to go before the cabinet. A total review of the border testing of imported frozen produce for contaminants is included in the discussion.
