Driscoll's reassures Chinese consumers after US lawsuit sparks food safety concerns

Berry producer Driscoll's sought to reassure Chinese consumers on Tuesday after allegations linked to a United States lawsuit over pesticide residues sparked widespread concern online and prompted some retailers in China to remove the company's products from their shelves.

The controversy trended on Chinese social media after reports that consumers from several US states had filed a lawsuit against Driscoll's, one of the world's largest berry producers. The lawsuit cites an independent testing report by US consumer advocacy group Mamavation, which said it detected residues of 12 pesticides on Driscoll's strawberries, including eight that it claimed were associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

The lawsuit accuses the company of greenwashing by marketing its products as environmentally friendly despite the alleged findings. Driscoll's US office has rejected the allegations.

PFAS are a large group of synthetic chemicals known for their persistence in the environment, earning them the nickname "forever chemicals" because they degrade very slowly once released into soil or water.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, has classified perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, one of the most widely studied PFAS compounds, as carcinogenic to humans, while perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, or PFOS, is classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans.

Studies have also linked certain PFAS compounds to thyroid disorders, liver damage and weakened immune function.

The online discussion quickly spread to China. Products from Driscoll's were no longer available through the online stores of some retailers, including Sam's Club. Freshippo, Alibaba's grocery chain, continued to sell Driscoll's blueberries but no longer listed its strawberries.

Driscoll's official flagship stores on Chinese e-commerce platforms, however, continued to sell strawberries and other berries. Customer service representatives at the flagship stores said the berries sold in China are primarily sourced from Yunnan province and comply with Chinese laws and food safety standards.

In a statement posted on Tuesday afternoon on its official Sina Weibo account, Driscoll's China office said products sold in the Chinese market are unrelated to the facts, parties or legal disputes involved in the US lawsuit.

The company said it believes the allegations in the lawsuit lack both factual and legal merit and that it will defend its legitimate rights and reputation through legal proceedings.

It also said Driscoll's berries continue to be sold normally around the world and that, in response to public concern, it had increased sampling and testing of products sold in China. According to the company, all test results comply with China's national food safety standards.