Noon International: Food Trading Import Export

Pass the Melamine Please

China once again is brought to the forefront with a new melamine scare. Now the problem is eggs. Hong Kong authorities has detected melamine in 4 brands of eggs from China.

The melamine, which is high in nitrogen, is added to the food products to make them appear as having a higher protein content. Melamine is cheap, gives the false impression of higher protein so that food inspectors believe the food products are protein enriched and meeting their minimum protein standards.

The feed industry appears to be using the cheap additive, mixing it with food products of various types, to reduce production cost. It appears that this is a national phenomena and one that all have tacitly approved (including the government). It’s their little “open secret”.

China officials reportedly were aware of the situation and began investigating in early October eggs in Liaoning province, however, they put a ban on any media interviews.

After melamine what next?

Reference:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7701477.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7699100.stm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27320256/

Technorati Tags: China, melamine, eggs

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What if your Chinese living in China and your baby got sick or ill or even worse died from the tainted melamine in the China milk? What recourse do you have?

The Chinese government doesn’t appreciate law suits particularly when the government is part owner of the defendant in the case. After all they are more concerned about economic growth then social well being.

Thus far hundreds of lawyers have volunteered to take on the cases but the Chinese government puts extreme pressure on the lawyers and in the end nothing happens. The complainants are forced to except a small compensation from the government or risk getting nothing.

How about a class action suit?? This is a definite no no. The All China Lawyers Association (ACLA), the country’s bar association, looks down on class action suits and discourages them, and has set up strict rules which in essence make it impossible for a class action suit.

We must remember that in China politics come first and then the law is a distant second.

Makes me wonder what would happen if we as foreigners tried suing the Chinese manufacture of melamine milk if our child got sick or died?

Reference: NY Times Oct 17, 2008

Technorati Tags: China, milk, melamine, melamine milk

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China has managed to do it again. This time it is pesticide contaminated frozen green beans exported to Japan. According to sources the pesticide dichlorvos was detected. Not only was it detected, it was 34,500 times more then the maximum allowed according to the Japanese positive list!!!

I don’t know which is worse the financial crisis or China food safety issues?

According to all the pundits a few months ago there was nothing wrong with the financial system. The same is true with China, saying they have food safety under control.

Then along comes Freddie Mac and Fannie Mac and AIG bailouts but everything is okay. In China it is the melamine tainted milk found but it has been brought under control.

Lehman goes bankrupt, Washington Mutual and Wachovia are headed that way as well (hopefully some white knight will come to the rescue.) More milk manufactures are producing milk with melamine, babies getting sick and some dying. And now we have candy, instant coffee and yoghurt with melamine.

Now the financial crisis has turned into a global route as banks collapse and others join the U.S. in bailouts, the result NO CONFIDENCE. China has now added the pesticide issue to a mounting of food safety issues. Pet food contaminated with melamine a year ago, Gyoza laced with pesticide exported to Japan, melamine contaminated milk found not only in the domestic market but exported to various countries throughout the world, and now the latest pesticide laced green beans.

According to the experts, the financial crisis is a little worse then expected but we are getting it under control, have faith. According to the Chinese authorities they didn’t detect any pesticides on the product and dichlorvos is not used in China, have faith.

CONFIDENCE??? Yes I do have confidence that we are not being told the truth.

Eat on!

Resources:
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/5082035/more-fall-ill-to-chinese-beans-official/
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/10/15/japan.beans/index.html?section=cnn_latest
http://www.postchronicle.com/news/breakingnews/article_212179250.shtml

Technorati Tags: China, Japan, food safety, green beans, pesticide

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With all the scares and international attention China has been receiving because of its adulterated milk, which has spread to other products that use milk, such as candy, biscuits etc., Australia has taken the additional step to start testing for melamine in fruits and vegetables.

There are fears in Australia, (which last year imported more then $85 million of food items from China, which are mostly frozen and canned products) that the vegetables and fruits from China may be contaminated with melamine.

Australian authorities from Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) are looking into the allegations and setting up testing protocols to ensure the safety of the products.

At this stage, Lydia Buchtmann of FSANZ, says they are looking into the reports and conducting risk assessments, but as of today, no contamination has been uncovered.

In the meantime more testing both in China and in Australia.

More news:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24465192-36398,00.html
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/newsroom/factsheets/factsheets2008/melamineinfoodsfromchina/riskassessmentandref4064.cfm
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/newsroom/factsheets/factsheets2008/melamineinfoodsfromchina/index.cfm
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,434364,00.html

Technorati Tags: China, melamine, Australia, vegetables

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