Company recalls some 250ml Fruta

There has not been a recall of Fruta drinks here in St Vincent and the Grenadines, but this country’s Bureau of Standards has advised consumers to be on the look out for any of the drinks which were recently recalled in neighbouring Barbados.{{more}}

Last week, Barbadian health authorities recalled a batch of 250ml Fruta juice drinks in plastic bottles, which bore the expiry date of May 2, 2008.

Problems developed after shipments of the drink were transported in refrigerated containers, rather than the standard non-refrigerated shipping containers.

Some of the drinks were said to be contaminated with Candida or Klebsiella organisms and were deemed to be unwholesome.

This sparked concerns here in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“The St Vincent and the Grenadines Bureau of Standards (SVGBS) has not ordered any recall of any Fruta drinks in St Vincent and the Grenadines,” a release by the SVGBS, dated February 12th, stated.

The Bureau’s release noted that the local agents for Fruta in St Vincent and the Grenadines are not the sole importer of the drink, so a precautionary alert had to be issued to consumers, “being mindful that the intra-regional trade and open market, other retailers may have imported the product.”

However, Jill Wallace, manager of SMJ St Vincent Limited told SEARCHLIGHT that it is highly unlikely that traffickers will bring drinks into St Vincent and the Grenadines from Barbados, given that Barbados isn’t a manufacturing island.

She said that it would be too expensive for them to do so; therefore, the risk of any contaminated product coming from that island is almost impossible.

She, however, said that her company has cooperated fully with the SVGBS in this matter, having sent products to be tested. (KJ)