Fruit growers irate over push to downgrade juice star rating to same level as soft drink

Fruit growers are irate over a move to downgrade the health star rating of fruit juice.

The Australian and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation will next month decide on whether to cut orange juice’s star rating from five stars to two and a half stars.

The move would put orange juice on par with soft drink.

Chairman of Sunraysia Citrus Growers, Kevin Cock, slammed the idea.

“It’s a natural sugar that’s developed out in the fruit!,” he told Tom Elliott.

“It’s something that is grown naturally and healthy.

“Were putting natural sugar, natural juice, in the same category as soft drink?

“Where does it all end?”

Fruit juice typically has a similar amount of sugar and kilojoules as full sugar soft drinks.

Press PLAY below for more.