Australian Survey Finds Many Brands Label Chinese Tomatoes as Local; 22% of 221 Products Fail Origin Test, All

An eight-month investigation has revealed that multiple Australian food brands have labeled tomato products sourced from China as Australian-grown.

Forensic laboratory Source Certain tested 221 processed tomato products from 39 brands, including tomato sauce, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes. The tests showed that 22% of the products failed origin verification, while another 6% were listed as requiring further testing. All products that failed the test originated from China, with 53% traced to Xinjiang and the rest confirmed as Chinese but from unspecified regions.

Source Certain determines origin by analyzing the unique chemical fingerprint of food, identifying characteristics left by soil, water, and climate in the growing environment. The laboratory has worked with the FBI, Interpol, and the Australian Federal Police.

Brands involved include Leggo's, owned by US food giant Simplot, whose packaging emphasizes that ingredients come from Australian farms. Coles' Italian-style tomato sauce and Aldi's private-label Remano tomato sauce also failed the test. An Aldi spokesperson denied the allegations, stating that suppliers must provide full traceability of raw materials and production processes, and that the products in question use ingredients from Italy and Australia. A Coles spokesperson said there is no evidence that the tomato sauce identified in the investigation used Chinese tomatoes, and strongly denied any claim that Coles knowingly misled consumers, engaged in food fraud, or profited from food fraud. Simplot did not immediately respond to a request for comment but disputed the findings.

Xinjiang is a major global tomato-producing region. The United States banned imports of Xinjiang tomato products in 2021 over forced labor concerns, a charge China denies.