Boron Elgar wrote:
> On Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:20:15 -0500, flitterbit >
> wrote:
>
>> Boron Elgar wrote:
>
>>> When I started seeing garlic from China, I started growing my own -
>>> not because of any particular health concerns, but because there is
>>> something ecologically sinful about importing garlic from China.
>>>
>>> Think global, buy local.
>>>
>>> Boron
>>>
>> I agree entirely about the environmental issues associated with
>> importing food from so far away. However, given China's sanitation,
>> pollution and food safety issues, I'm not comfortable buying anything
>> edible from there for the foreseeable future.
>
> You're likely consuming it without knowing it. Few food manufacturers
> make known the sources of all their ingredients and that is one reason
> why.
>
Possibly, but I check labels really carefully and purchase very little
processed food. I sometimes buy "Europe's Best" brand frozen fruits and
vegetables which do specify country of origin on the back; I can only
hope they're honest.

> I did a study for a client a few years ago who was looking to purchase
> a major ingredient food concentrate from China and tested labeling
> with various countries. China was not popular and this was way back in
> the day before the major scares came up.
>
> If China is exporting fresh garlic, they are also exporting dried,
> powdered, flaked, etc and those products will be used by US
> manufacturers. It isn't limited to garlic, either.
>
I don't use any form of garlic other than fresh and today at my local
grocer's purchased U.S.-grown garlic rather than the Chinese.
>
> I have a package of Trader Joe's High Potency B "100" right here that
> contains all sorts of things, including alfalfa powder, parsley
> powder, rice bran and watercress powder. No sourcing whatsoever for
> that or any of the other components of the B vitamins in the product.
> All the package says is "Distributed & sold exclusively by.. Trader
> Joe's...etc..
>
> China is getting into the pharmaceutical markets in a big way, too.
> You will not know if some component of the medication you are taking
> or feeding your child comes from China. In many cases, the
> manufacturer isn't sure where it comes from, either.
>
I know; as it stands, about 80% of the Vitamin C used around the world
originates in China.
>
> It isn' t that all Chinese exports are bad or dangerous, but this
> country no longer has any sort of adequate structure to monitor
> imports adequately or the food processors and manufacturers here in
> the US. Where is Upton Sinclair when we need him?
>
> Boron
>
We have the same problem here in Canada; our government decided a number
of years ago that it was perfectly fine to let manufacturers do their
own testing and disbanded the departments that used to do the job.

I know that all Chinese-produced goods aren't bad, but given the number
of problems that have arisen in recent months and the fact that most
problems aren't revealed until they actually become more serious
problems, I figure the best I can do is at least avoid overtly
Chinese-produced foodstuffs.