Asia Unbound » China’s Food Safety Crisis: How Serious Is the Problem?

Asia Unbound » China’s Food Safety Crisis: How Serious Is the Problem?
by Yanzhong Huang
August 27, 2012 

An employee works at the production line of an edible oil  

Last month in the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix Finals, China’s women’s volleyball team fell to countries that did not even qualify for the 2008 Olympics, where China won Bronze. The coach blamed his team’s abysmal performance on their veggie diet, saying that the athletes had not had any meat for three weeks.  The players were certainly not vegetarians: they abstained from meat lest contamination of chemicals such as clenbuterol interfere with their urine tests. The excuse was not as lousy as it initially sounded: early this year, China’s State General Administration of Sports issued a document forbidding its athletes from consuming meat outside of official training facilities.
The sports incidence epitomizes the rapidly rising concerns about food safety in China. Twenty years ago, with an exception of the few expats living in China, few Chinese would consider food safety a problem. Today, almost everybody I spoke with in China – people I knew well and those I did not – expressed their concern about adulterated food. My speculation that food safety problems in China has worsened is substantiated by the website “Throw out of window” created by Mr. Wu Heng, a postgraduate of Fudan University, to track China’s food safety incidents from 2004 to 2011.  In the spring of 2012, a survey carried out in sixteen major Chinese cities asked urban residents to list “the most worrisome safety concerns.” Food safety topped the list (81.8%), followed by public security (49%), medical care safety (36.4%), transportation safety (34.3%), and environmental safety (20.1%).

Two health groups sue US for failure on food safety - CSMonitor.com

In the wake of numerous food-borne illness outbreaks this year, two health and environment organization are suing the federal government for failing to protect the food supply.

By Carey Gillam, Reuters / August 29, 2012



Two US health and environment organizations sued the federal government on Wednesday for what the groups say is a failure to implement and enforce a new food safety law that could help prevent thousands of deaths caused by food-borne illnesses each year.

The groups said government officials had repeatedly missed mandatory deadlines for issuing final regulations required by the Food Safety Modernization Act.

They are asking a federal court to order officials at both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Office of Management and Budget to force the agencies to start enforcing the law.

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Citylicious: A Movie About Growing Food in Cities

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Cottage Food Laws | Sustainable Economies Law Center

Cottage Food Laws | Sustainable Economies Law Center

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Maple syrup, bacon and blueberry bread pudding | Eat | Life | Toronto Sun

Maple syrup, bacon and blueberry bread pudding | Eat | Life | Toronto Sun

They're tiny but giants in the food world — blueberries pack a powerhouse of health and taste, dazzle and bewitch with their zillion shades of blue, and are perfect fresh or frozen, wild or farmed.
It's all good with this beautiful ball of flavour, known as a superfruit and bursting with essential vitamins and minerals, packed with crucial antioxidants and heart-healthy fibre. Want to improve your memory? Don't forget to eat blueberries!

Definition of HEALTH

1 a : the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit; especially : freedom from physical disease or pain b : the general condition of the body <in poor health> <enjoys good health>

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