Apple Juice Made in America? Think Again.

[cal04]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/01/14/us/AP-US-Far-Flung-Food.html?_r=1&hp

Which food revelation was more shocking this week?

Did it blow you away that low levels of a fungicide that isn't approved in the U.S. were discovered in some orange juice sold here? Yawn. Or was it the news that Brazil, where the fungicide-laced juice originated, produces a good portion of the orange pulpy stuff we drink? Gasp!

While the former may have sent prices for orange juice for delivery in March down 5.3 percent earlier this week, the latter came as a bombshell to some "Buy American" supporters. But that's not the only surprise lurking in government data about where the food we eat comes from.

(snip)
For instance, while 85 percent of the apple juice we drink is imported, only about 7 percent of the apples we eat are. Andy Jerardo, an economist at the USDA, says that's because the juice often comes from China, which produces apples that are inferior for snacking but good for drinking.

[niyad]

1. I thought we all knew that most of our apple juice comes from china

[MineralMan]

3. Yes, and it may well not even be apple juice.

[shanti]

4. it's probably made like they do their honey

sugar water it down.

[Quantess]

2. Think of all the fossil fuels being burned just to ship that crap halfway across the globe.

It is offensive in many ways.

[treestar]

9. Amen, this is the part I friggin' don't get!

The labor must be SO much cheaper to avoid that. It's ridiculous to import food to this country. This country has the greatest farmland - I mean it's ridiculous that we should import a thing like that!

Orange juice should be from Fla. and Calif., etc., not Brazil. And apple juice need not be shipped over the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean is enormous and China is very far away and it makes no sense that we can't produce things just as cheaply if not cheaper.

[NYC_SKP]

5. Fuck Fucking China, Already. Where the Fuck Did We Go Wrong????

Jesus fucking christ with china.

I will pay more, I'll pay fucking three times as much, if something is made here.

Goddammit.

[Zalatix]

8. I hear that. I'll see ya four times as much!

Whatever it takes!

[Codeine]

16. You fucking said it, brother. nt

[high density]

20. Walmart says we only want the cheapest possible thing

and everybody else is driven by them.

[unlawflcombatnt]

6. Didn't Know That

I'm glad I don't drink apple juice.

I'll be looking at the labels from now on with everything I buy at the grocery store.

[DeathToTheOil]

7. Weird

I drink Farmdale apple juice, and it's made in Washington

[malthaussen]

10. The apple juice I buy

is 100% American, according to the label. It is also twice as expensive as the Chinese stuff, but I don't mind.
Yesterday, though, the store was out of the American stuff, so I got cheaper juice. The apples came from South Africa, which is the first time I've seen that.

-- Mal

[Zalatix]

12. What does it take to make apple juice at home?

I've got a few apple trees...

[malthaussen]

15. Assuming you're serious...

... here is a link. Or just google "Homemade apple juice" for other sites. It is not a complicated process.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/small-farm-chronicles/how-to-make-homemade-apple-juice.aspx


-- Mal

[Zalatix]

22. I am serious HOWEVER I recognize it is not as convenient. Thanks for the info!

[piscesnewmoon]

21. You do? I highly recommend an Omega 8006!

I got mine for $300 with free shipping and I think they are cheaper now! Slow speed so the enzymes stay intact...15 year warranty!

[HopeHoops]

11. Then again, apples aren't indigenous to N. America - they originated in China.

Well, in that region. Most of ours are hybrids/grafts anyway. The heirloom varieties have a distinctive flavor but aren't particularly well suited for mass-production.

I still don't trust food from China because they just don't seem to give a shit about contaminates, and we're not far behind. Fortunately, I live in apple country and get non-waxed local apples from late summer to late fall and we dehydrate a shitload of them. Great munchie!

[HopeHoops]

13. NOTE: I locked a duplicate on the subject, but it does have other information.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002168396

[yardwork]

14. So much of this crap from China is what we feed children.

Who drinks most of the apple juice consumed in the U.S.? Children. And the elderly. Our most vulnerable people get this crap, and who knows what poisons are in it.

[kneedeepinthehoopla]

18. Great solution: stop feeding your kids CRAP.

No muss, no fuss. Try not to feed your kids stuff that comes out of bottles, cans, and boxes. And if you MUST get a few things with labels, READ THEM FIRST!

[kneedeepinthehoopla]

17. Do people buy apple juice regularly?

It's so much better to either juice your own or just eat the apples. And I have gotten awesome unfiltered organic apple juice from Whole Foods and I believe it comes from the West Coast.

[jmowreader]

19. Apple juice concentrate has long come from overseas

I used to buy these big black plastic drums for things that big black plastic drums work well for--they make good planters, buoys, and other things like that. The drums originally held apple juice concentrate, and most of it came from Poland.

I have NO idea why Polish apple juice concentrate was so damn popular among producers, but a lot of it seemed to be coming in.

[Brickbat]

23. I've said it before: I read the label of every food product I buy, and if it says "Made in China," I

don't buy it. I rarely buy juice, but when I buy apple juice, I buy Indian Summer: http://www.cherrycentral.com/home_shoppers/indian_summer.php