California Delivers on Olympic Athletes\' Request for Strawberries

Tag : strawberries

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080805/DC29781 )
The strawberries were specially harvested on Saturday inpreparation for their arrival in China on today. This initial testshipment will be inspected by the China General Administration ofQuality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) to ensurethe fruit meets China's food safety and quality standards.
California Strawberry Commission President, Mark Murai said, "Afterinitial review and quality checks in Beijing, Californiastrawberries will continue to enter the country and will beavailable throughout the entire Olympic Games."
The fruit will be prepared by the official caterers who willincorporate this favorite fruit into their menus and served at theBeijing Olympic Village eateries, the U.S.A. House and the U.S.High Performance Center.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said, "I commend Chinafor providing the world's greatest athletes with healthy dietoptions and I look forward to a continued dialogue on gainingpermanent market access for California grown strawberries. AsGovernor of this great state, I am committed to promoting and willcontinue to campaign for our world-renowned products and services."
In November 2005, Governor Schwarzenegger promoted California tradeand tourism, including California strawberries, on a six-day trademission to China. The 2008 Olympic Games are the first time Chinahas opened its borders to California grown strawberries. The firstshipment of 450 pounds of fresh California grown strawberriesarrived in Beijing today.
Chinese Olympic athletes requested strawberries as one of their topthree choices of fruit to eat during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.Not grown in China during August and September, Californiastrawberries are the natural choice to meet the athletes' needs fora high performance diet during the Games.
The California Strawberry Commission is a state government agencythat represents an industry of more than 500 growers and 60shippers and processors of California strawberries. With a focus onfood safety education, Commission strategies also includeproduction and nutrition research, trade relations, public policyand marketing communications.
For more information visit http://www.calstrawberry.com . http://www.newscom.com /cgi-bin/prnh/20080805/DC29781"mime-type="application/octet-stream"> Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080805/DC29781

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PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com California Strawberry Commission
CONTACT: Mary DeGroat of California Strawberry Commission,

+1-831-724-1301, Mdegroat@calstrawberry.org
Web site: http://www.calstrawberry.com/
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