The Great Cranberry Scare of 1959
Introduction
On November 9, 1959, U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, Arthur Flemming, announced potential contamination of cranberries with aminotriazole, a weed killer linked to cancer in laboratory rats. This alarming news came just before Thanksgiving—a holiday where cranberry sauce is a quintessential dish, heightening the public's anxiety about food safety.
The media issued stern advisories advising consumers not to purchase cranberries until the situation was clarified, creating a ripple effect that impacted holiday traditions and consumption patterns across the nation.
Immediate Effects
This announcement triggered nationwide panic, leading to a rapid and severe crash in the cranberry market. As families prepared for Thanksgiving, many sought alternatives to cranberry sauce, turning to other fruit-based dishes. For instance, Life magazine suggested unusual substitutes, including pickled watermelon rind, showcasing the lengths to which consumers would go in the wake of the scare. Notably, even prominent figures such as President Eisenhower opted to forgo cranberry sauce at their Thanksgiving dinner in favor of applesauce, a decision that underscored the seriousness of public health concerns.
Legal and Health Framework
The warning regarding cranberries was rooted in the 1958 Food Additives Amendment to the 1938 Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act, largely driven by Congressman James J. Delaney. This amendment established the Delaney Clause, which prohibited any food additive that was determined to induce cancer in humans or animals, regardless of the level of risk.
FDA's Findings
Subsequent investigations revealed that the contamination of cranberries, specifically from Washington and Oregon, was caused by the presence of aminotriazole, which was known to suppress thyroid function and induce tumors in laboratory rats. In response to the findings, Secretary Flemming called upon cranberry producers to withdraw any potentially contaminated products until rigorous testing could confirm their safety. By the time Thanksgiving approached, over 16 million pounds of cranberries had been cleared for consumption, but residual public fear led many to avoid serving cranberries altogether.
Public Reaction
A Nation in (Cranberry) Crisis
The scare prompted extensive removal of cranberry products from grocery stores and restaurants, demonstrating a widespread loss of consumer confidence in food safety. Political cartoons, news headlines, and public discourse from this period reflected outrage and confusion, with a band even releasing a satirical song titled "Cranberry Blues" in response to the incident, encapsulating the public sentiment.
Public Sentiment Communication
The White House received a vast number of correspondences from citizens expressing their views on the crisis. Many letters from cranberry industry stakeholders conveyed anger over the adverse economic consequences, while others expressed gratitude to the government for the warning or voiced criticism of the government's handling of the situation.
In an interesting turn, prominent political figures, including President Nixon and Senator John F. Kennedy, seized the opportunity to publicly consume cranberries. Their actions were strategic gestures aimed at reassuring the public about the safety of cranberries and using the situation for political capital, especially as testing had revealed contamination in Nixon's portion.
Impact on Sales
Sales of cranberries took a significant hit due to the scare; fresh cranberry sales plummeted by 63% and canned cranberry sales by 73% when benchmarked against the previous year's figures. To support the struggling cranberry growers, indemnity payments totaling over $8 million were eventually disbursed, providing essential relief to the industry.
Legacy of the Cranberry Scare
Regulatory Outcomes
The Great Cranberry Scare of 1959 is considered one of the first major national food recall incidents in U.S. history, prompting a re-evaluation of food safety regulations. While subsequent scientific discussions debated the actual threat posed by the levels of aminotriazole found, public concern pushed for policy changes.
In a significant regulatory shift, the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act led to the repeal of the Delaney Clause, allowing certain additives in food as long as their use was deemed to pose no significant harm.
Conclusion
The Great Cranberry Scare of 1959 serves as an important case study in food safety regulation, crisis communication, and public health. It highlights the potent interplay between media, consumer behavior, and industry response in the context of food safety emergencies.
