People told to ‘throw out’ raw fruit juice brand after seller dodges health checks

A company selling raw fruit juice it says will “minimise sickness” has come under fire after it dodged the Food Act registry, meaning officials could not be sure it was safe to consume.

Our Fruit Box, or OFB, sells the product through door-to-door business sales, local markets, informal sellers and its website, New Zealand Food Safety says.

New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said the juice has not gone through the required checks to make sure it was safe.

“Pathogens such as Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), salmonella, cryptosporidium and norovirus can be present in the juice, making it unsafe to consume, particularly for people who are young, older, pregnant or with weakened immune systems,” Arbuckle said.

“The company making these juices has not been registered under the Food Act, so consumers cannot be certain that risks have been properly identified and managed.”

He said the branding of the juice is ambiguous and has “limited identifying labelling or branding”. It has been sold in 20-litre containers labelled “OFB” and in unlabelled bottles of various sizes and shapes.

Arbuckle is urging consumers to throw away the juice immediately.

“If you are unsure of whether an unlabelled product you have bought is OFB, ask the supplier,” he said.

According to OFB’s website, it provides a subscription service for the juice and has weekly deliveries throughout the Southland region.

It says its juice will “minimise sickness”. It encourages business owners to buy the juice in bulk for their staff to promote more energy within their workforce.

There have been no reports of associated illness to date.

Anyone with concerns can call the Ministry for Primary Industries helpline on 0800 008 333.

Anyone with health concerns should contact a health professional or call Healthline on 0800 611 116.

Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.