WASHINGTON (AP) - The Food and Drug Administration says it has found low levels of an illegal fungicide for oranges in samples taken from Florida juice manufacturers.
The FDA says the fungicide is far below dangerous levels and the orange juice won't be recalled from stores or destroyed. The juice tested was mixed with juice or concentrate from Brazil, where the fungicide carbendazim is used.
The agency has detained almost a quarter of orange juice imports at the border after finding the chemical, hoping to phase the carbendazim out of the U.S. supply.
The Environmental Protection Agency has said studies show no risks at up to 80 parts per billion and true levels of danger are probably thousands of times higher. The domestic samples showed a maximum of 36 parts per billion.
AP