Update for Vegemite Lovers...Authorities probe Vegemite ban reports

[hampster 0]

Authorities probe Vegemite ban reports

Tuesday Oct 24 13:32 AEST

Mystified Australian authorities have launched an investigation into reports Vegemite,

has been banned from entering the United States.

Supermarkets in the US continue to stock Vegemite,

and have no plans to remove Australia's iconic breakfast spread from their shelves.

Adding to the confusion, a spokesperson from the Australian embassy in Washington DC,

said US officials had recently said they had no concerns about Vegemite.

Weekend media reports, however, described how US customs officers,

have been removing jars of Vegemite from travellers' bags as they entered America

"We are aware of reports that US authorities have been seeking to stop people,

from bringing Vegemite into the country,

" a spokesperson from the Australian embassy in Washington DC told AAP.

"From our perspective there is no food safety issue with Vegemite and we had been advised,

recently by US authorities that Vegemite was not of concern to them.

We are liaising with US authorities to determine whether the media reports are accurate."

The ban was reportedly due to Vegemite containing folate,

which America's Food and Drug Administration only allows to be added to bread and cereals.

FDA officials did not return phone calls.

American supermarkets such as Bristol Farms and Whole Foods,

were selling Vegemite in their stores on Tuesday.

Nearly 100,000 Australians and New Zealanders live in the United States.

Vegemite is made in Australia by US-based Kraft Foods Inc.

Cheers

Paul

Edited October 24, 2006 by hampster

[hampster 0]

http://www.vegemite.com.au/index.cfm?fusea...scovery.Stage_2

scroll down all you Aussies for the Vegemite theme song.

Cheers

Paul

[Kath 0]

hi there

wow this is a first ...do you think it was a media hype to piss the aussies off lol...and the poor aussies bringing in the stuff having it taken off them...

interesting article...wonder if its been on aussie tv as well...

thanks for the update

kath

[aussiewench 9]

http://www.vegemite.com.au/index.cfm?fusea...scovery.Stage_2

scroll down all you Aussies for the Vegemite theme song.

Cheers

Paul

ahhhhhhhhh memories

[Reba 2]

"We are aware of reports that US authorities have been seeking to stop people,

from bringing Vegemite into the country,

"

perhaps it was confiscated from someone who tried to take in their carry on on the airplane, and it was more than 3 ounces and not in a plastic 1 gallon ziploc baggie?

[Madame-Butterfly 0]

WOW hubby not gonna like that.... how am I meant to get that all the way down to Puerto Rico ????? Not thta i like that much ( no offense to any Aussies) but not for my taste buds hes gonna be crushed he loves that .