Frequently Asked Questions

Are fresh Australian berries safe for my family to eat?

Yes. All fresh Australian berries on supermarket shelves and at local markets are completely safe to consume straight from the punnet. They are grown and harvested in strict compliance with the independent food safety standards set by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and the APVMA.

How do fresh Australian berries compare to imported frozen berries?

When consumers choose fresh Australian berries, they are buying fruit grown under some of the most stringent agricultural, environmental, and food safety regulations in the world.

• Different Standards Abroad: Many imported frozen berry products originate from overseas countries that operate under significantly weaker regulatory systems, with less rigorous monitoring, lower oversight on chemical usage, and different environmental standards.
• Support Local Safety: Choosing fresh, Australian-grown berries ensures your family is eating fruit that is transparently regulated, independently tested, and fully traceable back to safe Australian farms.

What is the “500-fold increase” mentioned in recent reports?

Recent media coverage refers to a technical administrative proposal by the independent regulator (the APVMA) to align Australia’s Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for a modern crop protection product (isocycloseram) with international trade and farming standards.

MRLs are automatically set to a base level of detectability when a crop protection product is first approved for use (e.g., 0.01mg/kg), whilst the technical assessment of where the MRL should be set is completed using a thorough, evidence-based methodology.

• An Agricultural Metric, Not a Health Hazard: An MRL is not a safety limit. It is an administrative threshold used to confirm that a grower has applied a product correctly on the farm. It is purposely set hundreds of times lower than any level that could impact human health.
• Microscopic Fractions: Even under this proposed administrative update, the maximum allowable trace levels on fruit remain very low —measured in milligrams per kilogram, where there are 1,000,000 milligrams in one kilogram – meaning a consumer would need to eat impossible volumes of fruit in a single sitting to experience any health impact.

Why do growers use crop protection products?

Australian berry growers face severe environmental pressures from pests and diseases that can destroy entire crops. Modern crop protection products are vital tools that keep fruit healthy, prevent food waste, and ensure high-quality, fresh berries remain abundant and affordable for Australian families all year round. These products undergo years of rigorous scientific evaluation by the APVMA to demonstrate they are safe before they are approved for use.

Should consumers wash their berries before eating?

While fresh Australian berries are packed clean and ready for market, following standard kitchen hygiene is always recommended. Rinsing fresh fruits and vegetables under cold running tap water just before consumption is a practical and standard habit for general food hygiene, just like handwashing.