By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South African producers and distributors of a range of branded food, Pioneer Foods has confirmed the presence of mould in some Liqui Fruit juice batches amid consumers’ complaints.
The issue emerged on social media platform X, where numerous consumers posted videos of themselves cutting open Liqui Juice packages to inspect the contents.
Many of these clips revealed a gelatinous mass floating atop the juice, prompting further consumer outrage.
“As a trusted producer of premium fruit juices, we take this matter seriously and have taken steps to thoroughly investigate the select cases of mould formation, which may occur over time when oxygen infiltrates the preservative-free, 100% fruit juice,” Pioneer Foods said in a statement.
“We understand the inconvenience and concern this may have caused, and we want to assure you that addressing this issue is our top priority.”
The manufacturer said it has reached out to clients who found mould inside their cartons.
It said upon inspection of a complaint received, it has been confirmed by food scientists and other experts, that the investigated packs appear to have been linked to compromised packaging and/or the product was exposed to beyond normal storage and handling conditions which could have occurred at any point in the extended value chain through to the consumer.
Pioneer Foods said after considering the test results from its samples, it was confident that the product’s integrity was not compromised at the time of leaving Pioneer’s factories.
“Our team is actively working to implement additional measures to prevent such occurrences in the future,” Pioneer Foods said.
The company advises customers to consume the product within five days of opening and to store it in the refrigerator to prevent similar issues in the future.