Washington – U.S. officials detained 107 Chinese food imports last month including tainted apples and toxic mushrooms, according to Media reports Monday.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) detained approximately 1,000 Chinese shipments of tainted dietary supplements, toxic cosmetics and counterfeit medicines, the Washington Post reported.
For years, tainted Chinese products unfit for human consumption have been making their way to the U.S. and only a small percentage have been detected, the Post reported.
The Tribune meanwhile, reported that a large portion of rejected Chinese shipments each month includes fish and seafood like catfish, shrimp,mahi-mahi, tilapia, eel and yellow fin tuna.
The Tribune also reported that at least 137 food shipments were rejected as “filthy” after testing positive for salmonella, or for containing banned ingredients.
“This isn’t an international crisis yet, but if they don’t do something about it quickly, it will be,” says David Zweig, a China specialist who teaches at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. ”The question is whether it spills over and ‘Made in China’ becomes known as ‘Buyer Beware.’ ”
In response to the findings, Chinese government minister Li Chuanqing stated that “we have worked hard to protect product quality and people’s health.”
25 comments for Some Chinese Imports Not Safe For Human Consumption »
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If they don’t start taking this very seriously, I will stop buying Made in China. I already know of some people who have since the tainted Pet food scandal.
Comment by Barbara Hamelin — May 21, 2007 @ 7:10 pm
I can find no reference at the FDA website that has any reference to this story.
blue skies, Phillip
Comment by Phillip Jones — May 21, 2007 @ 7:21 pm
Already threw out the frozen perch caught wild, no less. I would not trust them if they hand carried it over here.
Comment by Sarah Fitzpatrick — May 21, 2007 @ 7:27 pm
SORRY I JUST DONT TRUST ANY FOOD PRODUCTS FROM CHINA. THE SEEMING LACK OF STANDARDS DOES NOT GIVE ME CONFIDENCE IN THEIR FOOD PRODUCTS. MY HEALTH IS WORTH MORE THAN A CHEAPER PRICE.
Comment by FRANK MELANSON — May 21, 2007 @ 7:28 pm
This is it. I am not buying anymore food produced in china.
Comment by Fritz Laistner — May 21, 2007 @ 7:28 pm
One has to wonder, just a little bit, if some of the news we’re getting these days regarding the alleged low quality of food imported from China has as much to do with American food producers fearing the incredibly low prices of these Chinese imports as it has to do with the “safety” of the food itself.
Comment by Samuel Ganshaw — May 21, 2007 @ 7:35 pm
the authority should be more stressed on this matter, an old saying of good news speading not afar, but the bad ones do. currently, China’s pushing the brand image and building trust relationships with each country she make businesses with, the ones mentioned would not represent the whole chinese companies who really like to expand their outreach.
Comment by bianchinni — May 21, 2007 @ 7:36 pm
The u.s. governemnt does not care and does not properly fund the inspection agency.
Just sing their tune “Ya Ha we are all going to die”
Comment by David — May 21, 2007 @ 7:38 pm
slaughtered whales, dolphins, tortured dogs in food, cats boiled alive, all for what, beanie babies, gizmos for spoiled kids
keep the heat on — it’s only our purchasing power that counts (votes don’t!)
Comment by already don't buy from China, or Korea, and some Japanese — May 21, 2007 @ 7:41 pm
I’m in China for a 3 month stay. If you could see the horrendous lack of sanitation here, you wouldn’t be buying any food related items!
Meat & dairy products are not refridgerated or even covered half the time! Instead they hang in the open air with insects and passersby touching them at will.
Animals are slaughtered in the streets at ‘food markets’, that along with public urination on the streets makes the US designation as ‘filthy’ seem a bit mild!
Comment by Susan — May 21, 2007 @ 7:41 pm
i have stopped buying ‘made in china’ – its difficult because every man and his dog is trying to make money by having stuff made there – but why should i put myself and my family and my dogs at risk in this way.
to hell with china!
Comment by poppymac — May 21, 2007 @ 7:42 pm
“My household has agreed to buying in-season domestic produce and canned or frozen domestic produce out of season. Clean, healthy, untainted food, meeting USFDA standards is of much greater importance than buying at reduced cost. We have never been more conscious of deficiencies in imported food stuffs. It will take extreme measures to regain our trust.”
Comment by David Morris — May 21, 2007 @ 7:52 pm
In response to Barbara Hamelin’s comment: You do realize that various kinds of pencils, paper and clothing items are made in China, right? In fact, the wood boxes President Bush labelled “Made in the USA” during his ‘04 campaign were actually made in China, and even had the labels! Just an FYI.
Comment by Mary Lee — May 21, 2007 @ 7:52 pm
Is there a list of products or companies who use food coming from China? I want to avoid using China food products at all costs!!
Comment by Tim Fahey — May 21, 2007 @ 7:55 pm
I never started buying Chinese
stuff in the first place. I would never knowingly support
a communist government who
is our declared enemy.
Comment by §§§ Raven §§§ — May 21, 2007 @ 7:55 pm
It’s sad but true that even if you wanted to boycott buying products from China you would need to sit naked and watch the clouds go by as over 90% of our products come from China. Wake up America!
Comment by Carl Gallardo — May 21, 2007 @ 7:57 pm
How do you stop buying Made in China products? The market is saturated with products from there – it would be virtually impossible to buy anything else.
Comment by Michele — May 21, 2007 @ 8:04 pm
Many Chinese fields are irrigated with filthy water. Tons of lead, melamine, arsenic. Just look at thousand of manufacturing going on, coal extraction, the all country is polluted. That is the price for buying Chinese made products. Support America Grown Products.
Be aware, this is a point of no return.
Eat Smart !!
Comment by Elizabeth — May 21, 2007 @ 8:05 pm
This reminds of the time when I bought a China-made luncheon meat, which shall remain unnamed for the moment, and when I sliced it, there was a hair that suspiciously looked like it came from the, uhm, pubic region. Needless to say, I stopped eating that brand.
Comment by E. Ko — May 21, 2007 @ 8:07 pm
I have been warning people for two years and I personally will not eat or use consumables i.e (Body Products, Tooth Paste, Crayons, eye drops etc), that are made in China. I don’t know if its because China is Communist and the government don’t care or they have so many people that the value of life is really low. Don’t buy products from China unless you absolutely have no choice.
Comment by Wacer — May 21, 2007 @ 8:08 pm
They don’t treat their own people in a humane manner.
Why would ANYBODY assume that they would give ANY consideration to the health of any other human being on the plant?
Comment by Wallfly — May 21, 2007 @ 8:09 pm
US companies need to control their import activities and ensure the safety standard is met. The importers should impose strict quality requirement on their suppliers in China. Cost should not be the only concern in this case. Japan imports a significant amount of food from China. They know how to do it right.
Both US and Chinese government can only do so much in this case, supply & demand should work its way out. For consumers, we need to pressure the importers through our buy power, the importers need to pressure the suppliers, the suppliers should apply pressure on their next level suppliers. No easy way out, but the final consumer holds the key,of not to buy.
Comment by d. kuo — May 21, 2007 @ 8:10 pm
My girlfriend is Chinese and just the other day said that she doesn’t trust chinese manufactured foods. The rampant corruption and get-quick-fast mentality is a bad mix.
Comment by Van — May 21, 2007 @ 8:16 pm
Whether you like it or not, you cannot ignore the chinese. Gone are the times when china was just brushed off as a third world. China with 1.2trillon dollars could buy a lot more than your basic brand names which you and i use. 80% of world’s consumer goods is made in china. I hear why do people go there? economics is the word:). The best thing is the world will be made in china.
Its cheaper there. And right now china is cheaper, next could be india or vietnam. x100p.
regards,
Dinesh.
Comment by Dinesh Birlasekaran — May 21, 2007 @ 11:23 pm
I just don’t understand why North America, the breadbasket of the world, would import food from China – ever.
Comment by Jamie — May 22, 2007 @ 6:36 am