Time to WAKE UP America!
If you have been following the news lately you surely know something about the relentless attack America is experiencing at the hands of the Chinese. A neverending onslaught of poor quality products has found its way into almost every aspect of our lives.
Everything from dangerous automobile tires to childerns toys covered with lead paint to poisened pet food to chemically tainted seafood.... you name it and they are sending it to us.
If this type of product was grown or manufactured in this country and then unleashed upon an unsuspecting public there would be hell to pay for all those involved. BUT...when it comes to imports from China it seems everything is given a green light. Doesn't matter if it has the potential to mame, sicken or even kill american citizens, all is welcome.
This lens is my attempt at venting my frustration with what seems like an invasion we are ill equipped to control. I will try and keep it as updated as possible as new events become public.
My main project will be a comprehensive directory of products available to americans that are NOT grown or produced in China. Plan is to make it as interactive as possible with lots of user input.
Coming soon to... productsnotmadeinchina.com
Chinese imports headlines
There are many safety and quality issues surrounding Chinese imports... stay informed with these latest stories.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byEat Made in America, Or...! Part One
By Philip Harris
China has become an exporter of poisons and the poisons are in everything from toothpaste, eggs, teas, medicines, baby foods, herbs, vitamins, pet foods, fish, wheat, rice and who dares do guess what else? Given that the FDA inspects only 1% of food imports and tests only 0.5%,how safe do you think our food supply is?
China is one of the world's leading producers of rice, corn, wheat, soybeans, vegetables, soybeans and pork. China is also the world's leading producer of vitamin C and B12. Almost all of China's food exports have come under close scrutiny by their trade partners. There have been bans by the EU, Japan and the U.S. What is unknown is what ingredients from China have made their way into the food production process. Even within China there have been reports of massive food poisonings including adults and babies.
According to the China Economic review the US rejects more food shipments from China than from any other country, AFP reported. The FDA rejected some 257 Chinese food shipments last month, with at least 137 labeled filthy after testing positive for salmonella or for containing banned ingredients. They seized more than 1,000 shipments of tainted cosmetics, food supplements and counterfeit medicine from China last month. Earlier this month, 4,000 pets died in the US from eating tainted pet food imported from China.
On Friday, May 25th, officials in Costa Rica seized more than 350 tubes of toothpaste that contained chemicals found in brake fluid and antifreeze. The toothpaste was made in China. There have been reported deaths from the use of such products in other countries.
There can be no doubt that all food imports from China must receive closer scrutiny. Is China the only country with tainted agricultural products? The answer is no and, in fact, the U.S. has had its share of banned agricultural products. The issue is the scope and the nature of the problem. Reports that Chinese tea is dried by using hot exhausts of trucks that run on leaded gasoline is very disturbing. And, the issue seems widespread across the total array of products from China from wheat to toothpaste.
The U.S. must put more money into its food safety and inspection programs. Aside from the immediate threat of poisoned imported foods, who knows what long term effects might emerge from hidden chemicals that have found there way into our food supply? Is it worth the risk to our children and grandchildren to allow them to ingest low level toxins?
China is one of the world's leading producers of rice, corn, wheat, soybeans, vegetables, soybeans and pork. China is also the world's leading producer of vitamin C and B12. Almost all of China's food exports have come under close scrutiny by their trade partners. There have been bans by the EU, Japan and the U.S. What is unknown is what ingredients from China have made their way into the food production process. Even within China there have been reports of massive food poisonings including adults and babies.
According to the China Economic review the US rejects more food shipments from China than from any other country, AFP reported. The FDA rejected some 257 Chinese food shipments last month, with at least 137 labeled filthy after testing positive for salmonella or for containing banned ingredients. They seized more than 1,000 shipments of tainted cosmetics, food supplements and counterfeit medicine from China last month. Earlier this month, 4,000 pets died in the US from eating tainted pet food imported from China.
On Friday, May 25th, officials in Costa Rica seized more than 350 tubes of toothpaste that contained chemicals found in brake fluid and antifreeze. The toothpaste was made in China. There have been reported deaths from the use of such products in other countries.
There can be no doubt that all food imports from China must receive closer scrutiny. Is China the only country with tainted agricultural products? The answer is no and, in fact, the U.S. has had its share of banned agricultural products. The issue is the scope and the nature of the problem. Reports that Chinese tea is dried by using hot exhausts of trucks that run on leaded gasoline is very disturbing. And, the issue seems widespread across the total array of products from China from wheat to toothpaste.
The U.S. must put more money into its food safety and inspection programs. Aside from the immediate threat of poisoned imported foods, who knows what long term effects might emerge from hidden chemicals that have found there way into our food supply? Is it worth the risk to our children and grandchildren to allow them to ingest low level toxins?
Eat Made in America, Or...! Part Two
By Philip Harris
The U.S. must alter its food policy. There is no reason to import food into this country. We have been the twentieth century food basket of the world and if we are not careful, we will become the 21st Century "death basket" of the world. Food is one item where we do not need to globalize. Impending climate changes will threaten food imports and if we are dependent on those imports, many will needlessly suffer. Once we lose agricultural lands to development, it will be hard to retrieve. Our goal must be to regain our food independence and to strongly support ag-land preservation. We should be thinking along the lines of regionalizing our food production system in the U.S., and not globalization. With fears of spreading contaminations brought on by global warming, the U.S. must give top priority to stabilizing and enhancing our own food production and position ourselves to help others who will definitely be in need. And, while our food system in not perfect; I would eat American any day over imports from who knows where?
Mr. Harris was born in Massachusetts. He attended The American University in Washington, D.C. and received his degree in Political Science. His graduate work was done at the University of Northern Colorado and Howard University. While in D.C., he spent several years working for local and regional government agencies. Upon moving to Maine he worked with three governors and served as the Assistant Director of the Maine State Planning Office. He worked on a White House Task Force for the development of a National Rural Policy and later served as Rural Policy Coordinator at the Federal Regional Council of New England. He has worked on gubernatorial and senatorial political campaigns and currently works in Special Education.
Mr. Harris is co-author of the novel WAKING GOD and is a nationally syndicated and featured writer for The American Chronicle. He is working on Book II of the Waking God trilogy and writing features for literary E-zines. His second novel, A MAINE CHRISTMAS CAROL has been released by Cambridge Books. Contributing writer for UPI's Religion&Spirituality web site.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_Harris
Mr. Harris was born in Massachusetts. He attended The American University in Washington, D.C. and received his degree in Political Science. His graduate work was done at the University of Northern Colorado and Howard University. While in D.C., he spent several years working for local and regional government agencies. Upon moving to Maine he worked with three governors and served as the Assistant Director of the Maine State Planning Office. He worked on a White House Task Force for the development of a National Rural Policy and later served as Rural Policy Coordinator at the Federal Regional Council of New England. He has worked on gubernatorial and senatorial political campaigns and currently works in Special Education.
Mr. Harris is co-author of the novel WAKING GOD and is a nationally syndicated and featured writer for The American Chronicle. He is working on Book II of the Waking God trilogy and writing features for literary E-zines. His second novel, A MAINE CHRISTMAS CAROL has been released by Cambridge Books. Contributing writer for UPI's Religion&Spirituality web site.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_Harris
Resources relating to inferior Chinese imports
- Tainted Chinese Imports Common - washingtonpost.com
- Dried apples preserved with a cancer-causing chemical.
- StarTribune.com
- NPR : List of Problem Chinese Imports Grows
- Contaminated foods and other dangerous items continue to build an ever-growing list of unsafe products imported from China by the United States.
- WorldNetDaily: Seafood imports from China raised in untreated sewage
- FDA limits Chinese food additive imports - USATODAY.com
- The Food and Drug Administration is enforcing a new import alert that greatly expands its curtailment of some food ingredients imported from China, authorizing border inspectors to detain ingredients used in everything from noodles to breakfast bars.
- NPR : As Imports Increase, a Tense Dependence on China
- Regulators and food manufacturers were caught off guard when a deadly food additive from China turned up in U.S. pet food. Experts say it's a consequence of globalization and America's growing dependence on China for food ingredients.
- Chinese Imports Highlight Woeful State of Consumer Safety - CommonDreams.org
- Chinese import crisis forces CEOs to act - Jul. 5, 2007
- The Greenbrier resort in Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, with three golf courses and a spa the size of a football stadium, is a long way from China's factory floors. But in early June, the 229-year-old Georgian-style estate hosted a retreat for dozens of CEOs and other executives from U.S. consumer
- Safety of Chinese imports gets high priority - USATODAY.com
- President Bush has given a new Cabinet-level committee a very short timeline just 60 days to develop plans to guarantee the safety of food and products imported into the USA.
- WAMU 88.5 FM American University Radio - The Diane Rehm Show for Tuesday July 3, 2007
- The Diane Rehm Show offers listeners thoughtful and lively conversations on an array of topics with many of the most distinguished people of our times. Each week, more than 1.4 million listeners across the country tune in to the program, which is distributed by National Public Radio (NPR) and produc
- U.S. senator wants "czar" to ensure import safety - Boston.com
- AEI - Short Publications
- Testimony on steps the U.S. government is taking and should take to ensure that imports from China are safe for American consumers.
- U.S. creates import safety panel, denies target is China+
- Chinese imports may be cheap, but be wary of quality control
- America owes much of its latest prosperity to the massive influx of cheap foreign products entering its shores. If the same income can acquire twice as many goods, an individual's standard of living has basically doubled. But Buyer Beware! One cannot exp
- U.S corporations scrutinize their imports from China - International Herald Tribune
- U.S corporations scrutinize their imports from China
- RunRyder Suspect quality of Chinese Imports!
- Improved quality control much needed in China
Books related to China trade
CHINESE IMPORTS TO RISE SHARPLY.: An article from: Market Asia Pacific
Amazon Price: $5.95 (as of 10/11/2008)
Countervailing duties applied to illegally subsidized Chinese paper imports.(North America): An article from: Modern Casting
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 10/11/2008)
China trade related Blog posts
- Senators Discouraged Sanctions on Chinese Imports
- Washington Georgia's 2 senators intervened on behalf of an Atlanta-area jobber last twelvemonth to deter trade sanctions against inexpensive Chinese paper imports as the Bush disposal investigated ailments that the theme was lawlessly ...
- Rangel Seeks Preemptive China Import Monitoring
- House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel has asked a federal agency to begin monitoring Chinese apparel and textile imports.
- China imports more large capacity vehicles in first seven months
- China continued to see accelerated growth in the import of vehicles during the first seven months of this year, with the proportion of large capacity vehicles further increasing. According to data from Chinese customs authorities, ...
- Malawi bans Chinese milk product imports
- Malawi has banned imports of all Chinese milk products after contaminated milk and formula killed four children and made thousands others ill in China, the trade minister said on Friday. Chinese-made milk products have been pulled off ...
Chinese Imports Killing Americans - White Washing of Reality...Part One
By L. Winslow
In the United States of America the FDA often stops imports from certain countries that do not meet our health standards and the list of banned products from our trading partners is endless. In the US our FTC, FDA and even Homeland Security often intervene to protect Americans from American Companies selling us products. Why do the Chinese get a free pass after the recent abuse?
Well could it be that they are holding much of the US debt or that the US wants to remain on the Chinese "good list" as their middle class grows into a consumer class - 1.3 Billion new consumers is a huge future market for US exports too. Agencies like the FDA and FTC say they need more budget monies if they are to deal with this Chinese poison issue, but why should we give these agencies more money after all their failures in the past?
Besides if the FTC was really going to help us Internationally, what about the OPEC Cartel? You see the FTC always asks for more budget and always under-performs. They asked for more SPAM money, Identity Theft Money and all they EVER do is round up the "usual suspects" and participate in PR, "Tailor of Panama" style propaganda. I am only interested in one thing; Winning - not PR, not another underachieving Federal Agency. You see, it is not our problem it is the Chinese Problem:
Well could it be that they are holding much of the US debt or that the US wants to remain on the Chinese "good list" as their middle class grows into a consumer class - 1.3 Billion new consumers is a huge future market for US exports too. Agencies like the FDA and FTC say they need more budget monies if they are to deal with this Chinese poison issue, but why should we give these agencies more money after all their failures in the past?
Besides if the FTC was really going to help us Internationally, what about the OPEC Cartel? You see the FTC always asks for more budget and always under-performs. They asked for more SPAM money, Identity Theft Money and all they EVER do is round up the "usual suspects" and participate in PR, "Tailor of Panama" style propaganda. I am only interested in one thing; Winning - not PR, not another underachieving Federal Agency. You see, it is not our problem it is the Chinese Problem:
Chinese Imports Killing Americans - White Washing of Reality...Part Two
By L. Winslow
Lead Paint on Toy imports = No Toy Imports.
Poison in Food Additives = No Food Additives.
Neuro Toxins in Tooth Paste = No hygiene products!
Period, no games, no more screwing around; Sorry, but this is what we do to every other country that imports here and realize that China does it to us, so does Japan and other nations. Free Trade is Fair Trade. Recently, the Chinese "executed" their head of ministry in the agency, similar to the FDA here. This dramatic execution is typical Chinese PR. Our Government must protect the American People, if it can't, then one has to ask the question, why do we need them? Seriously, no more BS, why is it that no one can run this bureaucracy or agencies like the FDA or the FTC with any common sense. Once the Chinese know we are serious the BS will stop, until then the lip service is all a waste.
We should not reward "piss poor performance" in any government agency and we need accountability and transparency not more lip service. Often, regulatory agencies make up cases to serve the will of Senators doing the bidding for lobbyists. Adam Smith warned us of this and the FTC is a perfect example in my opinion of MY government running a muck, let's fix government this next time around shall we?
L. Winslow is an Economic Advisor to the Online Think Tank, a Futurist and retired entrepreneur http://www.worldthinktank.net . Currently he is planning a bicycle ride across the US to raise money for charity and is sponsored by http://www.Calling-Plans.com and all the proceeds will go to various charities who sign up.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=L._Winslow
Poison in Food Additives = No Food Additives.
Neuro Toxins in Tooth Paste = No hygiene products!
Period, no games, no more screwing around; Sorry, but this is what we do to every other country that imports here and realize that China does it to us, so does Japan and other nations. Free Trade is Fair Trade. Recently, the Chinese "executed" their head of ministry in the agency, similar to the FDA here. This dramatic execution is typical Chinese PR. Our Government must protect the American People, if it can't, then one has to ask the question, why do we need them? Seriously, no more BS, why is it that no one can run this bureaucracy or agencies like the FDA or the FTC with any common sense. Once the Chinese know we are serious the BS will stop, until then the lip service is all a waste.
We should not reward "piss poor performance" in any government agency and we need accountability and transparency not more lip service. Often, regulatory agencies make up cases to serve the will of Senators doing the bidding for lobbyists. Adam Smith warned us of this and the FTC is a perfect example in my opinion of MY government running a muck, let's fix government this next time around shall we?
L. Winslow is an Economic Advisor to the Online Think Tank, a Futurist and retired entrepreneur http://www.worldthinktank.net . Currently he is planning a bicycle ride across the US to raise money for charity and is sponsored by http://www.Calling-Plans.com and all the proceeds will go to various charities who sign up.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=L._Winslow
More Chinese imports news headlines
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byThe Poisoning of America Part One
By Philip Harris
First the dogs, then the cats and now the people! We are being poisoned by imported food. As dogs and cats were dying an outcry went out concerning the import of wheat and rice from China. We then found that the contaminated food, containing melamine, was fed to hogs and over three thousand were scheduled to be euthanized. We are now told that the contaminated food is in our poultry but the FDA says not to worry. Here is a portion of a warning that was just released by the FDA:
"IA #99-29, 4/27/07, IMPORT ALERT #99-29, "DETENTION WITHOUT PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OF ALL VEGETABLE PROTEIN PRODUCTS FROM CHINA FOR ANIMAL OR HUMANFOOD USE DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF MELAMINE AND/OR MELAMINE ANALOGS"TYPE OF ALERT: Detention Without Physical Examination (Countrywide)(Note: This import alert represents the Agency's current guidance to FDA field personnel regarding the manufacturer(s) and/or products(s) at issue. It does not create or confer any rights for or on any person, and does not operate to bind FDA or the public).
PRODUCTS:
Wheat Gluten
Rice Gluten
Rice Protein
Rice Protein Concentrate
Corn Gluten
Corn Gluten Meal
Corn By-Products
Soy Protein
Soy Gluten
Proteins (includes amino acids and protein hydrosylates)
Mung Bean Protein
PROBLEM:
Poisonous or Deleterious Substance
Unfit For Food
Unsafe Food Additive"
A very simple question that comes to mind is why do we import these things from China? We have the best agricultural land in the world and our farmers have fed millions outside of U.S. borders. Do we not produce enough wheat, corn, soy and rice to feed our nation? Why have we put the American citizens at risk by importing these products from a foreign land?
The FDA says that only 1% of imported food is inspected. In this "age of terrorism" does this make any sense? With all of our imported food, inspection should be a top national priority. It is in our food supply that we are most vulnerable. Most foreign countries from which we import food do not have adequate food safety and inspection programs. Further, are there really tests that can detect bacteria, viruses or poison in our food supply? While there may be such tests, if only 1% of the imports are inspected, where does that leave the American public?
"IA #99-29, 4/27/07, IMPORT ALERT #99-29, "DETENTION WITHOUT PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OF ALL VEGETABLE PROTEIN PRODUCTS FROM CHINA FOR ANIMAL OR HUMANFOOD USE DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF MELAMINE AND/OR MELAMINE ANALOGS"TYPE OF ALERT: Detention Without Physical Examination (Countrywide)(Note: This import alert represents the Agency's current guidance to FDA field personnel regarding the manufacturer(s) and/or products(s) at issue. It does not create or confer any rights for or on any person, and does not operate to bind FDA or the public).
PRODUCTS:
Wheat Gluten
Rice Gluten
Rice Protein
Rice Protein Concentrate
Corn Gluten
Corn Gluten Meal
Corn By-Products
Soy Protein
Soy Gluten
Proteins (includes amino acids and protein hydrosylates)
Mung Bean Protein
PROBLEM:
Poisonous or Deleterious Substance
Unfit For Food
Unsafe Food Additive"
A very simple question that comes to mind is why do we import these things from China? We have the best agricultural land in the world and our farmers have fed millions outside of U.S. borders. Do we not produce enough wheat, corn, soy and rice to feed our nation? Why have we put the American citizens at risk by importing these products from a foreign land?
The FDA says that only 1% of imported food is inspected. In this "age of terrorism" does this make any sense? With all of our imported food, inspection should be a top national priority. It is in our food supply that we are most vulnerable. Most foreign countries from which we import food do not have adequate food safety and inspection programs. Further, are there really tests that can detect bacteria, viruses or poison in our food supply? While there may be such tests, if only 1% of the imports are inspected, where does that leave the American public?
The Poisoning of America Part Two
By Philip Harris
It is time to rethink our national food policies and support our local farmers and stop importing foods that we can easily grow here. The contaminated food from China is but one example of what may happen if someone is really serious about killing Americans without having to blow up buildings or highjack airplanes. And shame on the FDA for not getting this food off of the market. How can they even have the gall to say that the little bit of poison will not hurt us? What effect might this food have on our children? How much more food contamination has gone undetected? It seems that the Bush Administration is more concerned about putting corn in the gas tank than ensuring that Americans are not exposed to the deplorable scandal impacting what all of must do, eat.
Mr. Harris was born in Massachusetts. He attended The American University in Washington, D.C. and received his degree in Political Science. His graduate work was done at the University of Northern Colorado and Howard University. While in D.C., he spent several years working for local and regional government agencies. Upon moving to Maine he worked with three governors and served as the Assistant Director of the Maine State Planning Office. He worked on a White House Task Force for the development of a National Rural Policy and later served as Rural Policy Coordinator at the Federal Regional Council of New England. He has worked on gubernatorial and senatorial political campaigns and currently works in Special Education.
Mr. Harris is co-author of the novel WAKING GOD and is a nationally syndicated and featured writer for The American Chronicle. He is working on Book II of the Waking God trilogy and writing features for literary E-zines. His second novel, A MAINE CHRISTMAS CAROL has been released by Cambridge Books. Contributing writer for UPI's Religion&Spirituality web site.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_Harris
Mr. Harris was born in Massachusetts. He attended The American University in Washington, D.C. and received his degree in Political Science. His graduate work was done at the University of Northern Colorado and Howard University. While in D.C., he spent several years working for local and regional government agencies. Upon moving to Maine he worked with three governors and served as the Assistant Director of the Maine State Planning Office. He worked on a White House Task Force for the development of a National Rural Policy and later served as Rural Policy Coordinator at the Federal Regional Council of New England. He has worked on gubernatorial and senatorial political campaigns and currently works in Special Education.
Mr. Harris is co-author of the novel WAKING GOD and is a nationally syndicated and featured writer for The American Chronicle. He is working on Book II of the Waking God trilogy and writing features for literary E-zines. His second novel, A MAINE CHRISTMAS CAROL has been released by Cambridge Books. Contributing writer for UPI's Religion&Spirituality web site.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_Harris
Chinese food safety related blog posts
- Chinese tighten dairy regulations after scandal (AP)
- The scandal has sparked global concern about Chinese food imports, with more than 30 countries restricting Chinese dairy products, and in some cases all Chinese food imports. This week, the Chinese Health Ministry issued guidelines ...
- MILK SCANDAL, CON'T
- The same friend who recently had to resort to soy milk in the mornings started changing her food-shopping habits years ago, after a local television station uncovered alleged safety problems with Chinese food imports sold in street ...
- Melamine – 081008: The List and a Little More
- Brazil bans Chinese food products. The Associated Press. Published: October 7, 2008. [BRASILIA, Brazil: Brazil indefinitely banned all Chinese food imports on Tuesday because of safety concerns?.] ...
- 10000 Chinese children still sick from milk
- China's food exports have increasingly suffered, with more nations issuing import bans. Singapore's food safety agency said Thursday it found traces of melamine in three more Chinese-made products. The authority said the chemical was ...
Unsafe Foods - Can The FDA Protect Us? Part One
By Gita Smith
My friend Marteal is pretty sure her dog died from eating food contaminated by Chinese wheat gluten. The fact surfaced last month that melamine, a plastic in wheat gluten imported from China was in nearly every common brand of pet food.
Food inspectors went to China to look at some of the plants where U.S. companies buy food for humans and found that we are eating some pretty filthy stuff. That further led to increased inspections at U.S. ports when containers of Chinese food products arrive.
Now, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website lists food imports its inspectors have refused at U.S. ports. http://www.fda.gov/ora/oasis/ora_oasis_ref.html Last month, FDA inspectors blocked 257 food shipments from China.
I read a news report that quoted William Hubbard, who used to be its deputy commissioner. He is now pushing for a much stronger and better funded FDA and now works with the Coalition. In the past year, the FDA rejected more than twice as many food shipments from China as from all other countries combined. But friends, that is only because China's cheap prices have made it our top trading partner. And how do the Chinese do quality control? They don't.
The 257 rejected shipments were "filthy." That's the official term, Hubbard told reporters. "It is a broad term for a product that is not fit for human consumption," he said, "decomposing, smelling, gross-looking."
Some foods are rejected for "vet-drug-res." That means the food product (fish or eels, for example) contains residues of veterinary drugs, such as antibiotics and antifungals. Pond-raised fish or seafood raised in polluted water is given drugs to treat them, Hubbard says.
But here is my absolute favorite Chines import story. A FDA inspector told this one after visiting a Chinese factory that makes herbal tea.
"To speed up the drying process, they would lay the tea leaves out on a huge warehouse floor and drive trucks over them so that the exhaust would more rapidly dry the leaves out. And the problem there is that the Chinese use leaded gasoline, so they were essentially spewing the lead over all these leaves."
By the way, that lead-contaminated herbal tea would only be caught by FDA inspectors at the border if they knew to look for it, Hubbard says.
Food inspectors went to China to look at some of the plants where U.S. companies buy food for humans and found that we are eating some pretty filthy stuff. That further led to increased inspections at U.S. ports when containers of Chinese food products arrive.
Now, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website lists food imports its inspectors have refused at U.S. ports. http://www.fda.gov/ora/oasis/ora_oasis_ref.html Last month, FDA inspectors blocked 257 food shipments from China.
I read a news report that quoted William Hubbard, who used to be its deputy commissioner. He is now pushing for a much stronger and better funded FDA and now works with the Coalition. In the past year, the FDA rejected more than twice as many food shipments from China as from all other countries combined. But friends, that is only because China's cheap prices have made it our top trading partner. And how do the Chinese do quality control? They don't.
The 257 rejected shipments were "filthy." That's the official term, Hubbard told reporters. "It is a broad term for a product that is not fit for human consumption," he said, "decomposing, smelling, gross-looking."
Some foods are rejected for "vet-drug-res." That means the food product (fish or eels, for example) contains residues of veterinary drugs, such as antibiotics and antifungals. Pond-raised fish or seafood raised in polluted water is given drugs to treat them, Hubbard says.
But here is my absolute favorite Chines import story. A FDA inspector told this one after visiting a Chinese factory that makes herbal tea.
"To speed up the drying process, they would lay the tea leaves out on a huge warehouse floor and drive trucks over them so that the exhaust would more rapidly dry the leaves out. And the problem there is that the Chinese use leaded gasoline, so they were essentially spewing the lead over all these leaves."
By the way, that lead-contaminated herbal tea would only be caught by FDA inspectors at the border if they knew to look for it, Hubbard says.
Unsafe Foods - Can The FDA Protect Us? Part Two
By Gita Smith
As hysterical as Americans get over pesticides and food contaminants in our own food industry, you'd think there would be a massive outcry over the poor quality of cheap imported ingredients from Asia. But therein lies the rub.
Most families struggle to keep the grocery bills down. Millions shop at Wal-Mart and big chain stores that offer cheap foods grown in China and sold here. Are Joe and Jane going to demand safer foods for themselves and their pets? Probably not if it means that prices go up 200 percent. We like our Ramen noodles that cost 25 cents a pack. We like farm raised salmon that's half the price of wild. And how about the pond-grown jumbo shrimp for the same price as tiny shrimp grown in the sea?
Canada, which has been a trading partner with China for longer than the U.S. has the same problems. I don't know what their food inspectors do, nor how many containers they turn away because the food's contaminated. I somehow suspect that the Canadian food safety bureau is better funded than the FDA is. After all, $100 billion is going out the window to fund the war in Iraq. Food safety at home will just have to wait a while longer.
Gita M. Smith is a journalist living in Alabama. Her blog may be seen at http://www.Myspace.com/gitahandley
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gita_Smith
Most families struggle to keep the grocery bills down. Millions shop at Wal-Mart and big chain stores that offer cheap foods grown in China and sold here. Are Joe and Jane going to demand safer foods for themselves and their pets? Probably not if it means that prices go up 200 percent. We like our Ramen noodles that cost 25 cents a pack. We like farm raised salmon that's half the price of wild. And how about the pond-grown jumbo shrimp for the same price as tiny shrimp grown in the sea?
Canada, which has been a trading partner with China for longer than the U.S. has the same problems. I don't know what their food inspectors do, nor how many containers they turn away because the food's contaminated. I somehow suspect that the Canadian food safety bureau is better funded than the FDA is. After all, $100 billion is going out the window to fund the war in Iraq. Food safety at home will just have to wait a while longer.
Gita M. Smith is a journalist living in Alabama. Her blog may be seen at http://www.Myspace.com/gitahandley
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gita_Smith
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What Everybody Ought to Know About Poisoned Food from China Part One
By Terry Vermeylen
This pet food problem has managed to get into the human food chain now. Of course the whole thing is again driven by greed, as companies seek to lower cost by outsourcing parts of food manufacturing to places like China - without proper safety rules. Oops! Sorry! And there is almost no inspection by the FDA on these imports. Oops!
I remember being shocked watching 60 minutes and learning how crooks in China have and continue to ship plenty of fake prescription drugs to the USA, These guys (and girls) were really good.
So I'm not that surprised that a Chinese company has been putting a plastic product in food, to make more money. And they probably don't have a Chinese FDA in place. Like many places, greed is seriously compromising peoples safety, and China is no exception - and maybe worse than most.
As the global economy speeds up, we will see more stories like this pop up.
Here is a frightening news quote.
About 45 state residents ate pork from hogs that consumed animal feed laced with melamine from China. The effects of melamine on people are thought to be minimal, but no one really knows. Its consumption by humans is considered so improbable that no one has even studied it.
I remember being shocked watching 60 minutes and learning how crooks in China have and continue to ship plenty of fake prescription drugs to the USA, These guys (and girls) were really good.
So I'm not that surprised that a Chinese company has been putting a plastic product in food, to make more money. And they probably don't have a Chinese FDA in place. Like many places, greed is seriously compromising peoples safety, and China is no exception - and maybe worse than most.
As the global economy speeds up, we will see more stories like this pop up.
Here is a frightening news quote.
About 45 state residents ate pork from hogs that consumed animal feed laced with melamine from China. The effects of melamine on people are thought to be minimal, but no one really knows. Its consumption by humans is considered so improbable that no one has even studied it.
What Everybody Ought to Know About Poisoned Food from China Part Two
By Terry Vermeylen
How do you protect yourself, family and your pets from getting poisoned?
Here are as few key goals you can set right now.
1. Protect yourself now by not eating pork. The melamine from China that has gotten into pork has never been studied for human consumption. Of course a plastics product should not be in our food. Hello?
2. Keep up with the news for the latest poisoning outbreak. There will be more. The FDA inspected only 2 percent of the 8.9 million imported food shipments in 2006.
3. If you really love your pets, look into feeding your pet natural foods. We have been giving our dog's natural food before this pet food problem. They absolutely love it. Dry kibble is crap. If done right the cost should be almost the same.
4. Buy a book on feeding your pet natural food. You must understand the nutritional requirements of your pet for it's overall health needs and happiness.
5. Hug your kids and pet at least twice a day. Ok, it doesn't protect them but keeps everyone happy.
Please consider this article for your website, blog or ezine. Permission to reprint if by-line stays intact and links are activated on the Internet.
Terry Vermeylen is one of those rare people that is passionately driven to help others unlock their own barriers toward fulfillment, meaning and purpose. He is the founder of http://www.mylifechanges.com/, an Internet value identification and goal setting enterprise. His primary passion is wealth building using common sense.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Vermeylen
Here are as few key goals you can set right now.
1. Protect yourself now by not eating pork. The melamine from China that has gotten into pork has never been studied for human consumption. Of course a plastics product should not be in our food. Hello?
2. Keep up with the news for the latest poisoning outbreak. There will be more. The FDA inspected only 2 percent of the 8.9 million imported food shipments in 2006.
3. If you really love your pets, look into feeding your pet natural foods. We have been giving our dog's natural food before this pet food problem. They absolutely love it. Dry kibble is crap. If done right the cost should be almost the same.
4. Buy a book on feeding your pet natural food. You must understand the nutritional requirements of your pet for it's overall health needs and happiness.
5. Hug your kids and pet at least twice a day. Ok, it doesn't protect them but keeps everyone happy.
Please consider this article for your website, blog or ezine. Permission to reprint if by-line stays intact and links are activated on the Internet.
Terry Vermeylen is one of those rare people that is passionately driven to help others unlock their own barriers toward fulfillment, meaning and purpose. He is the founder of http://www.mylifechanges.com/, an Internet value identification and goal setting enterprise. His primary passion is wealth building using common sense.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Vermeylen
