Coles, Woolworths, Aldi Tomato Products May Be Mislabeled, Investigation Finds

A Four Corners investigation has uncovered evidence that tomato products sold at Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, and independent retailers may be mislabeled as Australian-grown when they actually originate from China, according to independent forensic testing commissioned by the program.

The eight-month investigation, reported by Adele Ferguson, Chris Gillett, and Madi Chwasta, collated thousands of import records and commissioned testing from Source Certain, a forensic traceability lab that has worked with the FBI and Interpol. Products were purchased from multiple states and tested blind, with scientists unaware of brand identities.

The results raise questions about the integrity of Australia's food supply. The investigation also found that only a fraction of imported food is inspected, and testing for contaminants has declined since 2019. Honey is the only imported food routinely tested for adulteration, at a rate of 5%.

Bloomberg reported that retail giants rejected the report's findings, while News.com.au quoted experts calling the situation 'deeply disturbing'. The findings have sparked calls for stronger food labeling enforcement and increased import testing.