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<br /> 04-10-199' 12~40PM FROM FOOD +?,IJATER INC. TO 18089566846 P.02 <br /> FOOD&WATER <br /> NEWS RELEASE <br /> Wednesday, April 9, 1997 Contact: Ivfichael Colby <br /> For Immediate Release (802) 563-3300 ar 563-2135 (until 9 EST <br /> FRUIT DISTRIBUTOR REVERSES IRRADIATION POSITION <br /> Frieda's Isaacs "Irradiation-free" Statement <br /> A Major Blow to Hawaii's Irradiation Plans <br /> Plans to build a fruit irradiation facility in Hawaii were dealt a serious blow today as <br /> Food 6c ~,Vater, Inc. announced that a fruit distributor that had shown an apparent <br /> interest in the technology had reversed itself and issued an "irradiation-free" statement to <br /> the group. The company, Ftieda's. which specializes in exotic and tropical fruits and is <br /> famous for coining the term "Kiwi" fruit, had been the target of a Food do Water <br /> grassroots campaign since the group learned that Frieda's distributed free samples of <br /> irradiated Hawaiian fruits at a trade shotiv late last year. <br /> After a brier telephone conversation between leaders of Frieda's and Food 8c Water, <br /> Frieda's President, Karen Caplan, faxed a letter to the group late Tuesday afternoon <br /> declaring that her company "does not expose any of our foods to irradiation nor do we <br /> have any plans to in the future." <br /> "We congratulate Frieda's for listening to the thousands of citizens that called them to <br /> express their concerns with radiation-exposed foods, and welcome them co the growing <br /> list of companies that have rejected food irradiation,'' said Michael Colby, Food & <br /> Water's Executive Director. "Frieda's decision should be a wake-up call to those few <br /> people in Hawaii that remain in some kind of irradiation fantasy land. Make no mistake, <br /> irradiation is controveriai, attd irradiated foods will meet considerable resistance." <br /> Ever since Food & Water learned about an article in The Packer, a produce industry <br /> trade publication, reporting that Frieda's was "breaking new ground by giving irradiated <br /> fruit from Hawaii a chance." Food & Water has relentlessly targeted the company by <br /> circulating more than 20,000 Action Alerts to its grassroots networks and generating <br /> thousands of calls, letters and taxes to Ftieda's headquarters. <br /> Frieda's is just the latest food retailer or distributor associated with I~awaii's irradiation <br /> efforu to reverse its position on the controversial technology. Last year, Marsh <br /> Supermarkeu, a retail chain based in Indiana. made an about face on irradiation afrer <br /> selling radiation-treated 1-lawaiialt fruit and then feeling the heat from its customers. <br /> Earlier this year, several fruit distributors in California also backed out of future <br /> arrangements to sell irradiated Hawaiian fruit afrer ?etting a taste of citizen opposition. <br /> (more) <br /> RR I, Box 680 Walden. VT 05873 (802) 563-3300 Fax (802) 563-3310 1-800-EAT-SAFE <br /> <br />