Trucks That Hauled Wastewater Later Carried Fruit Juice (Ewwwww!!!!)

Tampa Tribune ^ | 10.30.03 | STEVEN ISBITTS

[mhking]

CLEARWATER - Minute Maid and Tropicana have stopped using Winter Haven-based Indian River Transport for beverage deliveries because the company brought them juice in truck tankers that previously carried toxic phosphate wastewater.

Last week the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services began investigating the uncommon practice, but officials from both organizations said they have not uncovered anything that represents a threat to public health.

The investigations are expected to last at least another week.

``The public should understand that these are stainless- steel tankers, which are impervious to bacteria penetrating them,'' said Terence McElroy, a spokesman for the Agriculture Department's consumer services division.

``That's why that surface is used in all aspects of food service. If it is sanitized, it's clean and safe.''

The untreated phosphate wastewater, which contained mercury, arsenic, cyanide, cadmium and about 60 other compounds, came from the defunct Piney Point phosphate plant in Palmetto.

At the site, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is cleaning up ponds containing billions of gallons of the wastewater.

Last year, the state entered into a contract with CF Industries, which agreed to take wastewater from Piney Point to one of its processing facilities north of Plant City, from Sept. 3 to Dec. 19.

CF Industries used tankers from Para Marine, a subsidiary of Indian River Transport, which later transported the juice.

Kristine Nickel, spokeswoman for Tropicana Products Inc. in Bradenton, said at least three months elapsed between the final wastewater delivery and when Tropicana received juice carried in the tankers.

``At the time, we were unaware of the history with the tanker trucks,'' Nickel said. ``Prior to being put back into food-grade service, the tankers were sanitized with a process that met industry standards, and we are certain the juice was safe.

``We are no longer using Indian River Transport for juice, only juice byproducts. We were not happy about their decision to use the tankers. Indian River accounts for about 5 percent of products delivered to Tropicana, so using other companies has not affected our business.''

Ray Crockett, spokesman for The Minute Maid Co., said Indian River Transport's use of ``non-food-service-only'' tankers violated its contract with Minute Maid.

``Because of this breach of contract, we have suspended transports with Indian River,'' Crockett said. ``All of our products go through several safety and quality tests and everything has been fine.''

Keith Rupp, spokesman for Indian River Transport, said that the tankers were sanitized before carrying food products and that the company has provided records of the cleanings to the FDA.

``No agency or customer has alleged that we have done anything wrong,'' Rupp said. ``The tankers were sanitized properly, and we also are no longer using those tankers.''

Although proper sanitation procedures may have been adhered to, Lisa Rath, executive director of the Florida Citrus Processors Association, said Indian River Transport's action violates industry protocol.

State and federal officials said the fact the tankers once carried toxic, nonfood products is what prompted the investigation.

The agencies did not say whether any other beverage companies may have received juice carried in the tankers.

``It's not against the law,'' McElroy said, ``but it's not a common practice.''

News Channel 8 Investigative Reporter Steve Andrews contributed to this report. Reporter Steven Isbitts can be reached at (727) 799-7413

[Mears]

I don't care that it's not against the law and common practice it still makes me sick. Yuk!

[mhking]

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[americafirst]

I saw a story on this type of thing several years ago. Trucks would transport chemicals in on direction - clean out the container with a garden hose - and transport BABY FORMULA in the other direction!

[cmsgop]

I Love Their "Pine-Orange-Phosphate Blend.........YmmmmmmmmY

[Post Toasties]

Well, that explains the metallic aftertaste I've been noticing recently when drinking Minute Maid fruit juices.

Jes' funnin':)

[JoeSixPack1]

When it comes to transporting liquids the only difference in the tankers that are stainless steel is the existance of baffles in the tank.

Back when I hauled Milk, the tankers had to be one long tank with no baffle which sperates the tank into sections. The reasoning behind this was a baffled tank would not sterilize, but a baffled tank is more road worthy and holds the liquids from sloshing.

As long as the tanks had no baffles, which means no interior hardware, the tank was able to pass sterilization standards.

Disgusting? yes.
Health problem? Gotta ask the guy who inspected the tank and it's plumbing.

[cinFLA]

I don't care that it's not against the law and common practice it still makes me sick. Yuk!

Have you ever eaten out of something that you washed after you had used it for a non-food use?

[Post Toasties]

I noticed recently at a local McDonalds that some type of specialized tank truck appeared to be pumping different types of 'liquid refreshment' concentrates through hoses connected to fittings mounted right in an exterior wall.

[ChemistCat]

I think anyone who has kids has eaten with spoons that spent time out digging in the dirt.

Clean stainless steel and it's CLEAN.

You eat food grown in dirt and picked with human hands? You eat sausage? It sure looks neat and clean in the store, all wrapped in plastic, but if you know anything about a slaughterhouse, you have to make a conscious decision to keep eating meat anyway.

Know where an egg comes from? Jello? Honey? Fruit-roll-ups? How high a percentage of insect parts are allowed in the finest chocolates? (Godiva is one of the worst offenders!)

There are bigger things to worry about. Your tummy can generally handle anything that's not truly contaminated or genuinely toxic...and protein is protein....

[Swanks]

``The public should understand that these are stainless- steel tankers, which are impervious to bacteria penetrating them,'' said Terence McElroy

I love the way these typical Gov't 'servants' talk down to 'the public'. Don't tell me a 50 ft tanker is clean of every micro organism. Maybe she would like to go on TV and drink out of that same tanker.

(Somebody post the bio of this Dept-of-AG LOSER .)

[ChemistCat]

Steam on polished steel gets it sterile. Much depends on how well the operator uses his equipment, of course!

[Xenalyte]

Not to minimize the grossitude, but Xena's Dad is a sandblaster, and he assures me that if properly cleaned and re-coated, the truck's contents should have been safe. Sandblasting involves scouring out the waste with a high-powered sand stream - sometimes several go-rounds - and usually re-painting. That way, your petroleum residue you last hauled won't mix with the ether you're hauling now.

[expatpat]

Don't drink Coke, then, it has lots of phosphates/phosphoric acid.

[meatloaf]

On top of that, that off-taste you get every time you drink something from a plastic container whether it's bottled water, Coke, etc. is from the plasticizer leaching into the drink. YUM!

[Mears]

Good point! Imagine using your empty bleach bottles for water for the kids" picnic.

[Swanks]

Any questions?

DIRECT ALL INQUIRIES TO:
Terence McElroy at: mcelrot@doacs.state.fl.us

[Swanks]

In other useless gov't employee (and very ironic) news,

Department Press Release by Terence McElroy (850) 488-3022 mcelrot@doacs.state.fl.us

Bronson Breaks Ground on New Bio-security Lab to Protect State's Food Supply

KISSIMMEE – Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson today broke ground here on a bio-safety lab that will enable his department to test for and detect potential bio-terrorist materials to protect both state residents and their food supply.....

When it comes to Gov't spending of new facilities, we are into protecting food supply. But if there's nothin' in it for the Dept of Ag; just run a garden hose thru it and fill the tanker up with fruit juice for the children!

[IYAS9YAS]

Yep, micky d's uses a hose to connect the syrups to the storage tank. More efficient than changing out a bunch of containers daily.

[Mears]

Pine-Orange-Phosphate.!!!!!

That reminds me,I've got to go wash the kitchen floor.