Tenesha Thomas, Gleaner Writer
The long-awaited results of a study to determine the reason for the high levels of hypoglycin found in a shipment of local ackees to the United States (U.S.) should be ready by this month.
President of the Jamaica Exporters Association, Dr. Andre Gordon, told Farmers Weekly that with ackees now in season, the study is far advanced.
"Somewhere towards the end of August all of the information that we need to gather hopefully we will have in place," Dr. Gordon said. "(We will) collate the information and begin to package it to have it reviewed by the overseas regulators," he added.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December requested the study after it was forced to seize a shipment of Jamaican ackees when it found high levels of the toxin hypoglycin in 31 cases of 19-ounce cans. However, the study was delayed because of the unavailability of the fruit.
In the meantime, Dr. Gordon - whose company, Technological Solutions Limited, is conducting the study - says additional measures are being implemented to meet several other requirements outlined by the FDA.
One such measure, he points out, is the implementation of a National Industry Management System similar to those operated in other parts of the world under the FDA's jurisdiction.
And according to Dr. Gordon, although a national study is being undertaken, exporters are required by the FDA to give individual reports for the high levels of hypoglycin found in the fruit.
"The companies need to provide to the FDA information of what caused the problem and they also need to put certain systems in place for the overseas market so that we do not have a recurrence of the problem that occurred," Dr. Gordon told Farmers Weekly.
At present, the U.S. commands 50 per cent of the ackee market and with six local exporters now restricted from that market, Dr. Gordon is expressing gratitude with the level of support it has been receiving from the FDA and the U.S. Embassy here.
"They have gone well beyond what is normal because of the interest they have in facilitating our exports to the U.S. and they know how important ackee exports are to Jamaica," noted Dr. Gordon. He is optimistic that the country will resume exports to the U.S. before the end of the year.
