New Zealand Food Safety has instructed a recall of all raw fruit juice sold by Our Fruit Box or OFB and advised people against consuming the product.
According to Vincent Arbuckle, New Zealand Food Safety's Deputy Director-General, this raw fruit juice presented a food safety risk because it had not undergone the necessary checks and balances to ensure it was safe for consumption.
The company responsible for producing these juices was not registered under the Food Act, making it impossible for consumers to ensure that risks have been adequately identified and managed.
Food safety controls are crucial for raw fruit juice, as pathogens can enter the product without proper processing controls.
Pathogens like Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, and norovirus can be present in the juice, making it unsafe to consume, especially for young people, the elderly, pregnant women, or those with weakened immune systems.
The recalled raw juice has limited identification labelling or branding and may be sold in 20-litre plastic containers labelled 'OFB' and in unlabeled containers of different shapes and sizes.
Reports suggest that the raw fruit juice has been available for sale through informal vendors, door-to-door sales, local markets, and online on their website.
If you have bought this product, labelled OFB or Our Fruit Box or with limited or no identifying labelling or branding, do not consume it and throw it out.
If you are unsure whether an unlabelled product you have bought is OFB, ask the supplier. To date, there have been no reports of associated illness.
