On Jun 27, 8:05 am, wrote:
> June 27, 2007
> China shuts 180 food factories for using formaldehyde, illegal dyes
> By AUDRA ANG
> Associated Press
>
> BEIJING - China has closed 180 food factories after inspectors found
> industrial chemicals being used in products from candy to seafood,
> state media said today.
>
> The closures came amid a nationwide crackdown on shoddy and dangerous
> products launched in December that also uncovered use of recycled or
> expired food, the China Daily said.
>
> Formaldehyde, illegal dyes, and industrial wax were found being used
> to make candy, pickles, crackers and seafood, it said, citing Han Yi,
> an official with the General Administration of Quality Supervision,
> Inspection and Quarantine, which is responsible for food safety.
>
> "These are not isolated cases," Han, director of the administration's
> quality control and inspection department, was quoted as saying.
>
> Han's admission was significant because the administration has said in
> the past that safety violations were the work of a few rogue
> operators, a claim which is likely part of a strategy to protect
> China's billions of dollars (euros) of food exports.
>
> International concerns over China's food safety problems ballooned
> this year after high levels of toxins and industrial chemicals were
> found in exported products.
>
> Chinese-made toothpaste has been rejected by several countries in
> North and South America and Asia, while Chinese wheat gluten tainted
> with the chemical melamine was blamed for dog and cat deaths in North
> America. Other products turned away by U.S. inspectors include toxic
> monkfish, frozen eel and juice made with unsafe color additives.
>
> Authorities in China have pushed for more stringent controls and
> increased publicity of their efforts to control the problem.
>
> Han said most of the offending manufacturers were small, unlicensed
> food plants with fewer than 10 employees, and all had been shut down.
> China Daily said 75 percent of China's estimated 1 million food
> processing plants are small and privately owned.
>
> According to Han, the ongoing inspections are focusing on commonly
> consumed food such as meat, milk, beverages, soy sauce and cooking
> oil. Rural areas and the suburbs - where standards are likely less
> strict - are still considered key areas for inspectors, he said.
>
> Meanwhile, another regulating agency, China's State Administration for
> Industry and Commerce, said it closed 152,000 unlicensed food
> manufacturers and retailers last year for making fake and low-quality
> products.
>
> It also banned 15,000 tons of "unqualified food" from entering the
> market because it failed to meet national standards.
>
> The report, posted on the administration's Web site Tuesday, gave no
> other details and telephone calls to the administration were not
> answered.

Many, many years ago someone told me that Cas Walker used formaldehyde
in the meat. Don't know if it was true. Over the years stores that
sell bargin meat were accused of using formaldehyde or recycling
meat. Some TV news program even had a report on how one chain where
old meat was redated and unsafe. I think the network got sued.

One thing I know is American meat producers use everything and
anything to boost profits. Many years ago American 6 y.o. girls were
growing tits because of drugs used in chicken feed. Those juicy
American grown beefsteaks probably contain as much harmful chemicals
as anything coming out of China. Why do you think people are willing
to pay big bucks to eat organic?