Are we going to be poisoned?

[canetoad]

Not the usual sort of topic for this group, but wondering if anyone else
is having similar thoughts.

http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/4578/chinese-melamine-import-and-the-issue-of-food-labelling

This is just a random pick about a story that has been in the news
recently; food products imported from China that are tainted with
chemicals. Toothpaste laden with poison.... It has been limited (as
least so we are told) to the USA but I wonder if we are immune here.

As I understand it, there is a large class of 'middle-men' in the food
wholesale business - those between the growers/producers and the
exporters. Their main aim is to maximise profit and to that end have
been discovered bulking out the produce with proteins made from recycled
carcasses and contaminated additives.

On one hand, we need to be careful what we buy, as wheat gluten is added
to many things, not just animal food. On the other, has anyone noticed
that in the supermarkets the 'brand' names are vanishing from the
shelves to be replaced by the generic home brands?

The supermarkets push these items as they are maximum profit for them.
Firstly, I really resent having my choices of brands curtailed but
secondly, can we be confident in expecting them to be completely free
from profit-making-driven cheap and contaminated products.

Now if you think the Beef Beefers thread prompted this ....lol, you are
right. I really wonder if we know what we are putting into our mouths
sometimes.

cheers.

[Kwyjibo]

Post by canetoad
Not the usual sort of topic for this group, but wondering if anyone else
is having similar thoughts.

Not really.

The problem experienced in the US, while terrible, was limited to pet food.
The Chinese (and Asians in general) have been feeding their people for a
pretty long time and, judging by the size of their population, I'd say they
are pretty good at it. Something like this might crop up every now and then,
but there are the same risks with buying food that's produced locally.

[ThePeriwinkle]

With all the rubbish that's added to food I think we're being poisoned
anyway..I sometimes wonder if the climbing rate of cancer and immune system
issues in some people isn't somehow related to all the preservatives and
additives in our foods now.

[Phred]

Post by ThePeriwinkle
With all the rubbish that's added to food I think we're being poisoned
anyway..I sometimes wonder if the climbing rate of cancer and immune system
issues in some people isn't somehow related to all the preservatives and
additives in our foods now.

Nah. It's radiation from PCs, TVs, and microwave ovens (not to
mention sleeping with electric blankets). ;-)

Cheers, Phred.

[Phred]

In article <467fd54c$0$18888$***@news.optusnet.com.au>, canetoad <***@fastmail.fm> wrote:
[snip]

[...] has anyone noticed
that in the supermarkets the 'brand' names are vanishing from the
shelves to be replaced by the generic home brands?
The supermarkets push these items as they are maximum profit for them.
Firstly, I really resent having my choices of brands curtailed but
secondly, can we be confident in expecting them to be completely free
from profit-making-driven cheap and contaminated products.

I wouldn't worry too much. If the others are like the "I Love Coles"
brand, no one will be buying them after their first taste(less)
experience.

And it's not just the food items in that case. The "I Love Coles"
variety items are just as bad from the quality POV. I tried the
toilet paper as a guide to what to expect, and it's crap. (Quite
appropriate in that case I guess. :-)

Frankly, I find it hard to believe a company with so many years of
experience in the market can be managed so badly in recent years.
Maybe it's due to the boss's boast when he took over that he's never
shopped in a supermarket?

Regrettably, we've only got Coles and a second tier supermarket here.
I can well understand why so many people drive to the next town to
shop at Woolies. I'd do that myself, but I only get 13 mpg out of my
old bomb so I'm resigned to making do with what we've got locally!
[Our "second tier" is better than Coles for fresh stuff anyway; and
there's still some choice of other brands of the packaged lines.]

Cheers, Phred.

[canetoad]

Post by Phred
Frankly, I find it hard to believe a company with so many years of
experience in the market can be managed so badly in recent years.
Maybe it's due to the boss's boast when he took over that he's never
shopped in a supermarket?
Regrettably, we've only got Coles and a second tier supermarket here.
I can well understand why so many people drive to the next town to
shop at Woolies. I'd do that myself, but I only get 13 mpg out of my
old bomb so I'm resigned to making do with what we've got locally!
[Our "second tier" is better than Coles for fresh stuff anyway; and
there's still some choice of other brands of the packaged lines.]

Spot on.

I'm in Eltham, which is the most anglo, stitched up place I have ever
seen! Coles and Safeway - and the bastards have the nerve to bitch about
customers 'using their store like a milkbar'. Much prefered the
inner-suburbs where there is a great mix of fresh and diverse food.

Like you, I try to shop at an independent or make the trek into Preston
Market when possible. The shimmering aisles of Simmer Sauces send me
into a coma.

At long last we have a decent fruit shop here; one who doesn't charge an
arm and a leg and whose produce is nice and fresh. Not surprisingly,
where other fruit shops have failed this guy is getting busier by the
day. More old italians should run fruit shops!

[Shelby]

Post by canetoad
Not the usual sort of topic for this group, but wondering if anyone else
is having similar thoughts.
http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/4578/chinese-melamine-import-and-the-issue-of-food-labelling
This is just a random pick about a story that has been in the news
recently; food products imported from China that are tainted with
chemicals.

I believe it is well known that many foods from other countries could have
residues of chemicals on them that aren't permitted in Australia. I've seen
quite a few stores like this on tv.

Vietnamese prawns for example aren't the "cleanest" (that isn't the exact
right word to use, but I'm tired and can't think of it at the moment),
because the water/environment they live in isn't pristine.

Other countries permit sprays/fertilizers that aren't allowed here.

On the other side of the coin, we allow quite a lot of food additives that
lots of other countries have banned. For example, we allow Tartrazine
(102), yet apparently it is completely banned from foods in Norway and
Finland and heavily restricted in Austria, Sweden and Germany.

So if you want "safety" best bet is to grow it yourself, make it yourself
and/or choose organic.

[canetoad]

Post by Shelby
So if you want "safety" best bet is to grow it yourself, make it yourself
and/or choose organic.

And I do wherever possible. However not everyone has a garden or can
afford organic produce.

Is it too much to expect that our food chain be free of contaminants?