ANCHOR:
MORE PESTICIDE-LACED PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN PULLED OFF GROCERY STORES SHELVES NATIONWIDE THE RESULT OF AN ONGOING I-TEAM INVESTIGATION INTO ORGANIC LABELING. THAT INVESTIGATION WHICH BEGAN AT WHOLE FOODS STORES IN OUR AREA HAS NOW REACHED HALF WAY AROUND THE WORLD TO CHINA. THE I-TEAM'S ROBERTA BASKIN IS HERE WITH THE LATEST.
ROBERTA BASKIN:
WHOLE FOODS PULLED ITS HOUSE BRAND 365 GINGER FROM STORE SHELVES AFTER OUR LAB TESTS SHOWED IT WAS CONTAMINATED WITH A TOXIC PESTICIDE CALLED ALDICARB. BUT THAT WAS JUST THE START
STORY:
BASKIN: Ginger is a common kitchen spice. Used in everything from stir fry to baking ginger cookies. Our lab tests revealed organic ginger from China was laced with a forbidden pesticide. As a result, food distributor Frontier Natural Products Coop, under its "Simply Organic" label is following Whole Foods lead and has ordered an "Urgent Recall." It affects more than two dozen other ginger products including Jamaican Seasoning Pickling Spice and Seafood Seasoning. All carry the U.S.Department of Agriculture (web|news) 's Organic certification. Barbara Robinson heads the USDA's organic program.
Barbara Robinson/USDA: "We know it was the farm in China that applied a toxic insecticide. Now we just have to figure out how did that happen?"
BASKIN: (CHINA PHOTOS) These photos were taken last summer by USDA auditors making only their first visit to Chinese farms and processing plants since the government began certifying organic food six years ago. They actually rely on private companies to do the inspections for them.
Barbara Robinson: "It takes a lot of attention, and if you don't do this job right, you don't deserve to put the label on this product."
BASKIN: But a USDA audit of 28 companies released just today shows half aren't getting the job done. (graphic) It found private inspectors in China were poorly trained ignored rules and regulations and couldn't communicate because of the language barrier.
ADAM EIDINGER: "These violations are really serious because consumers have been paying extra for organic products that in fact are not organic.
BASKIN: But Adam Eidinger of the Organic Consumers Association says making the USDA's audits public is an important first step.
Adam Eidinger: "Sometimes you have to have bad news to make a good choice and that's what's happening here. The consumer should be able to make a better choice with this information. I think we're having a day of reckoning now."
