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 ìMost of the mangos imported in this country come from Mexico, although imports from India opened this year thanks to the U.S. government's approval of an irradiation technique that neutralizes a pest indigenous to Indian mangos."

Patriot News, Lehigh, Pennsylvania

In This Update:

Welcome to America: Thai fruits

Mango Finds Happy Home in Drink, Dessert, Chutney

Nebraska Firm Recalls Ground Beef due to possible E. coli O157:H7 contamination

Fresh mangosteens and mangoes from Thailand will soon be available in the United States. The Agriculture Department has decided those fruits - as well as fresh pineapples, rambutans, litchis and longans - which had been barred as imports from Thailand because they could harbor harmful insects,  will be allowed into the US when irradiated at low doses to kill or sterilize the pests.

The new rule, published by the department is effective July 23, 2007. But it will take longer for department inspectors to approve the irradiation and packing facilities and procedures. The first fruit should arrive around September, said Rapibhat Chandarasrivongs, the agricultural minister-counselor at the Thai Embassy in Washington.

Thailand is the world's largest producer of various tropical fruits, including pineapples, rambutans and mangosteens, The legendary taste of the mangosteen, so far virtually unavailable fresh in the United States, makes it the one most likely to be eagerly sought here despite the cost.

Canada, which is too cold to worry about tropical pests, imports small amounts of Thai fruit by air, but Thai exporters are hoping to send larger quantities to the United States by sea, Chandarasrivongs said. Most of the mangoes will probably be green, to be eaten firm like a vegetable, he added.

The effects of the sea voyage, which takes some 20 days, remain to be seen. Irradiated rambutans, longans and litchis flown from Hawaii to the United States mainland have been of high quality, but irradiation may affect the fruits from Thailand in different ways.

The only fruit Thailand has been permitted to send fresh to the United States previously is the notoriously malodorous durian.

Once typecast by Americans as an exotic, hard-to-find fruit, mangos are now little darlings of the produce section.

The oval-shaped fleshy tropical fruit overflows in supermarket bins, usually priced just over a dollar apiece.

In the summer, mangos pair well with other fruits in a salad, blended into a cocktail or cut up with onions and peppers into a refreshing salsa with grilled fish. Coffee houses and ice cream cafes serve mango smoothies, gelatos and ice creams. Ethnic and high-end restaurants incorporate mango into all kinds of dishes from salads to desserts.

According to the National Mango Board, consumption per capita of fresh mangos in the United States doubled from 1995 to 2004, while the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports imports of fresh mangos jumped 23 percent in 2006 over the previous year.

The popularity of the fruits has grown along with an interest in ethnic cooking and foods.

Most of the mangos imported in this country come from Mexico, although imports from India opened this year thanks to the U.S. government's approval of an irradiation technique that neutralizes a pest indigenous to Indian mangos.

This spring, imports of Indian mangos including the famed "King of Mangos," the Alphonso variety, arrived through U.S. borders to the delight of those who grew up eating the fruits.

In India, the mango is revered during the harvest season from March through May. The fruits are juiced by street vendors and transformed into cocktails at five-star restaurants.

They are best eaten plain, much like an apple, but expect more of a dripping-down-the chin mess.

USDA FSIS Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Custom Pack, Inc., a Hastings, Neb., establishment, is voluntarily recalling approximately 5,920 pounds of ground beef and buffalo products because they may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Department of Agricultureís Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today. The products subject to recall include:
10 Lb. bags ìCUSTOM PACK GROUND BEEF.î Each label bears a date of ì6/1,î ì6-4,î ì6-5,î ì6-7,î ì6-8,î ì6-11,î 6-12î or ì6-13.î
25-pound boxes of ì3.2 OZ. BEEF PATTIES.î Each box bears the package date of ì6-7-07.î
25-pound boxes of ì4 OZ. BEEF PATTIES.î Each box bears the package date of ì6-7-07.î
25-pound boxes of ì5 1/3 OZ. BEEF PATTIES.î Each box bears the package date of ì6-7-07.î
25-pound boxes of ì8 OZ. BEEF PATTIES.î Each box bears the package date of ì6-7-07.î
6-pound boxes of ì16-6 OZ. CHAR PATTIES.î Each box bears the package date of ì6-7-07.î
12-pound boxes of ìGROUND BUFFALO PATTIES.î Each box bears the package date of ì6-7-07.î
Each package also bears the establishment number ìEst. 5650î inside the USDA mark of inspection.
The ground beef products were produced between June 1 and June 13, 2007, and were distributed to restaurants and institutions in Nebraska. The ground buffalo patties were produced on June 7, 2007, and distributed to restaurants and institutions in Colorado. None of these products were sold through grocery stores.
 

The problem was discovered through sampling done by the Nebraska Department of Health Services, in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as part of an investigation into a reported illness.
Consumers and media with questions about the recall should contact company President David B. Dirks at (402) 462-2532.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. The very young, seniors and persons with compromised immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

They arrived in the U.S. with the kind of fanfare normally reserved for visiting Bollywood royalty. The stars in question? Indian mangoes.

Banned nearly two decades ago due to concerns over excessive pesticide use, the king of fruits was recently allowed back into the U.S. market. Last month, the first shipments of Indian mangoes arrived on American soil after extensive negotiations on both sides and an agreement by India to irradiate all mango exports to the U.S. To celebrate, gala parties were thrown to herald the deal and tout the increased commerce it would bring.

Among them was an event at the Indian Consulate in New York City. Noted chef-author-actress Madhur Jaffrey got in on the act as well, regaling attendees with an evocative history lesson on Indians' love affair with the velvety fruit. Guests were plied with mango drinks, pickles, snacks, and more - and everyone left with two of the prized specimens, carefully nestled in foam nets to prevent bruising.

Big Producer, Small Exporter

Although India is the world's largest producer of mangoes - 14 million metric tons, accounting for more than half of the worldwide production of 25 million metric tons - it only exports about 60,000 metric tons. The destinations are mostly neighboring countries as well as some countries in Europe, according to Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). About 1,000 cultivars or varieties of mango exist, of which some 20 are considered commercially significant. Uttar Pradesh leads Indian states in mango production, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Karnataka, according to a report by Reliance Agro Initiatives based on data from the National Horticulture Board.

The opening up of the U.S. - the world's largest importer of mangoes - is a step toward addressing the production vs. export disparity, says Ron Somers, president of the US-India Business Council, an advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. "We've been approached by a number of different groups to pursue distribution possibilities. So far, every mango has been sold even before it reaches the U.S. market, mostly driven by demand from the Indian diaspora." Somers notes that efforts to broker the mango deal have raised the profile of the opportunity to export Indian produce on a global scale. "Growers are now meeting with transshipment companies and distributors to work out the logistics," says Somers. "The scope is enormous, and the American market is nascent. Imagine what it could be if U.S. consumers really got a taste for the Indian mango."

Currently, most Americans are familiar only with mango varieties that come in from countries south of the border. "Mango consumption in the U.S. is about 250,000 metric tons," says Somers. "Most of that is currently served by Mexico and South America, with maybe a little in Florida."

Demand-based Production

K.S. Money, chairman of APEDA, extolled the virtues of demand-based food production. "This is an important phase in the development of Indian agriculture," he noted. "For decades, the focus has been on the supply side. It is time to orient production toward demand. We have been producing many fruits and vegetables, but our international trade participation has been marginal. Now we have realized the importance of market requirements and meeting quality standards." Money stated that about two-thirds of the Indian people depend on agriculture for their livelihood, so catering to the needs of global consumers could help the industry to reach growth targets set out by policymakers.

What took the agricultural industry so long to enter international markets? "Despite the fact that India was number one in production quantity in many cases, quality, logistics and infrastructure have been the weaker points," Money noted. "It is not enough to say we produce something - we have to take care of the entire supply chain and train farmers to do what is required. We have to attend to storage, harvest, post-harvest practices, packaging, etc."

But will this emphasis on the supply chain necessarily be good for Indian farmers and the country as a whole? That may depend on whether all export markets ask for the same product attributes. Increasing demand for mango varieties suited for Western palates and transshipment, for instance, might curb production of sweeter and/or less resilient varieties like Chausa and Langdaa, as media reports have pointed out.

Geography may also become an issue. For now, the only USDA-approved irradiation facility in India is in Nashik, in Maharashtra. "The mango is not a long-lasting fruit - it only stays fresh for so many days. Maharashtrian and Gujarati mangoes get preference because they're closer to this gateway," notes Somers. "It's a bit more challenging to get them there from, say, West Bengal or Uttar Pradesh. Also, some mangoes are softer and some have heartier skin. So tests will be conducted to see which are best for shipment. The Kesar and Alphonso varieties so far seem superior, with their skin thickness."

Media reports indicate that large conglomerates such as Reliance have entered the mango growing business. Godrej, Bharti and other large firms are also exploring their options. Somers believes that their influence will only help. "For example, in the beginning Frito-Lay had to import potatoes for their chip factory in West Bengal because the local potatoes were not so good. Ultimately they brought in seed and organized local farmers into co-ops. The farmers then got the best prices and the potato chips were superior. So getting the industry organized and more efficient for one end can help the other end. Up to now, small growers might have mostly been getting their fruit to major consumer centers in India. Now they might consider whether a portion of what they grow can go up and out," he says.

As awareness and organization grow, Somers believes several companies on both sides of the ocean will potentially benefit from the opening up of the mango market. "This wave will not just help mangoes, but other tropical produce as well. Companies involved in the irradiation business will benefit. This includes companies such as GrayStar in New Jersey." Somers notes that there is a huge transport opportunity, so cargo flight operators and distributors will also gain from the increase in mango imports into the U.S. Among these firms are Melissa's/World Variety Produce, and [processors such as] Jain Irrigation [a big producer of mango pulp]."

Will the big companies change the way mangoes are produced? "In every instance where there has been organized retail, it has helped make sourcing supply more efficient," says Somers. "I doubt it will cause much change in production trends. All Indian growers will benefit because of demand for the crop. What might happen is a slight displacement. Mango growers who have yet to access international markets might forgo the U.S. market and maybe aim for markets with no irradiation requirements. But the good news is that it causes people to think about the possibility."

Bhaskar Savani, a Philadelphia-based dentist who was an advocate for the U.S. deal and whose family in India grows mangoes, agrees. "The multinationals will organize the market, and farmers will make decent money because they will propagate the industry," he says. "The farmers are now learning about techniques like high-density plantations. Reliance has done that, and it is a showcase model for small farmers, who are now implementing those practices."
By Knowledge@Wharton