Most Approve of U.S. Move to Ban Chilean Fruit, Times Poll Finds

The federal government’s decision to temporarily ban imported Chilean fruit after the discovery of two cyanide-laced grapes was widely supported by the American public, according to a Times Poll.

The survey asked 1,158 adults nationwide to evaluate the Food and Drug Administration’s response to the tainted grapes found in a shipment in Philadelphia: Did it overreact or was the move a prudent exercise of caution?

Sixty-eight percent of those questioned thought the government had acted prudently. Only 27% saw the decision as an overreaction. The poll has a margin of error of 4 percentage points in either direction.

The Bush Administration lifted the import ban and imposed new inspection requirements on Friday but not before fruit sales were disrupted nationwide and Chile complained of U.S. overreaction.

The Times Poll was conducted by telephone on Wednesday and Thursday, while the FDA order was still in effect.

The poll also found support for the decision by school officials in many large cities, including Los Angeles, to stop serving fresh apples and apple products until they could evaluate the threat posed to schoolchildren by daminozide, a growth-promoting chemical sold under the trade name Alar.

Fifty-six percent felt the school officials had exercised the proper caution and 38% said they had overreacted.

Federal officials declared Thursday that apples and apple products are safe for both adults and children, and many schools announced that the fruit would be returned to school menus.