Noon International: Food Trading Import Export

I found the following poll conducted by the Japan Youth Research Institute very intriguing. The poll indicates the following percent check for food safety:

• Chinese 41.6 percent
• South Koreans 19.9 percent
• Americans 17.5 percent
• Japanese 13.0 percent

My question is how do they check for food safety? I have never seen a sticker or other marking indicating the food is safe. Or does it mean that some societies just expect the food to be safe and there is no need to check for food safety. In Noon International dealings with frozen food exports we find that the Japanese border on fanaticism when it comes to food safety, why the disparity with the poll? Perhaps because we at Noon are not dealing with the end user.

The survey also asked if they bought food based on the health benefits, such as organic food. Again the results are interesting:

• Chinese 75.6 percent answered yes.
• Japanese 34.2 percent answered yes.

I know that through the centuries the Chinese have been conscious of health benefits. If you have ever been entertained by the Chinese, then you know how they will always tell you this food is good for such and such and this is good for that. So their response is normal. However seeing the Japanese response of only 34.2 percent seems strange. They always seem to go overboard if there are certain benefits derived from a food. If you tell them broccoli is good for cancer then they all run to the stores to buy broccoli. Fanatical.

What does it all mean?? It is just one of those mysteries.

Technorati Tags: Noon International, food safety

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Japan Gyoza saga continues, were they tampered with? by whom? Chinese? Japanese?

Yu Xinmin of the Ministry of Public Health says there is little chance that the methamidaphos was put into the product in China. Chinese officials are now leaning toward the conclusion that the gyoza was tampered with, but where? In a normal export transaction the product would be packaged in its final presentation, in this case at Tianyuan Foods, and then stuffed into a reefer container, doors closed and sealed. The seal would not be broken again until it arrives at its final destination, in this case Japan. Thus if the normal protocol was followed it would lead one to believe that the product must have been contaminated in Japan.

Japanese authorities have a different view or conclusion. After testing the methamidophos in Japan they say it is of inferior quality and not pure, therefore it is not from Japan. If the methamidophos is not of Japanese origin then from where? It appears to be a vicious circle with nothing concrete to draw a conclusion.

Of noted interest is that China in 2007, before the incident of the Gyoza, had made a decision to ban the use of methamidophos in agriculture production, manufacturing and transporting of the pesticide. This took effect January 1, 2008. This is good news for us exporters because methamidophos has been a problem in Asia for years (although it is allowed on broccoli and cauliflower in the USA). The question remains which pesticide the farmers will use in lieu of methamidophos, will it be legal in the USA or Japan or …

(Each country has their own list of acceptable pesticides and tolerances.)

Technorati Tags: Noon International, China, Japan, methamidophos

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Senior Chinese officials have visited China this week to pledge that food safety is a prime concern to China and that the incident will be seriously investigated. Despite this and other announcements from Senior and Non-Senior officials in China consumers are not quite convinced. Daiei Inc., one of Japan’s major supermarket chains, stated that the sales of frozen food, mainly of Chinese origin, have dropped at least 30% compared to last year since the news of the poisoned dumplings emerged last week. On the other hand sales of produce used to make dumplings went up.

Ito Yokado, another supermarket operator, set up special areas inside its stores selling produce used to make your own dumplings.

Both China and Japan will have to handle this with extreme care since China is the second biggest supplier of food into Japan after the USA.

We’ll keep you posted on how this saga develops.

Technorati Tags: Contaminated Dumplings, food safety, China, supermarket

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Here is a new twist on the pesticide contaminated Gyoza in Japan. The Mainichi Daily News is reporting that a small hole was found in the packaging suggesting that the product was tampered with. What is not clear is where the hole was made in China during production (which is common to release air) or during distribution in China.

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The numbers keep rising. Now over 400 people have been impacted by the pesticide tainted Gyoza. As expected several of the Japanese food shops are pulling all Chinese food items off the shelf (rather be safe then sorry). Consumer groups are now forming and asking questions that concern food safety and the food they eat. And still no news from China.

Articles of interest:

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/01/asia/dumpling.php
http://martinjapan.blogspot.com/2008/01/gyoza-update-415-people-sick.html

Technorati Tags: Noon International, Japan, Gyoza

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The tainted Chinese dumplings (from Tianyang Foods in Hebei province) imported by JT (Japan Tobacco) saga continues. Now more than 70 people have complained of symptoms from the metamidophos contaminated Gyoza dumplings.

China thus far still remains silent although I have read that two samples of the product were tested by Chinese authorities and found to be negative.

The recall has spread as Ajinomoto the largest food company in the World is taking proactive measures and recalling some Korean style products including fried rice that it sells in Japan from the same facility, Tianyang Foods.

Things of interest:

• I read in Chinareview that it was not clear if the Gyoza dumplings were contaminated in China or Japan? I myself find this hard to understand, if the product is produced in China, made in China and packaged in China then how could it be contaminated in Japan?
• I read in Japan News Review that in the U.S. if methamidophos is used commercially it must be labeled as Danger-Poison. Again I really don’t understand this because this particular pesticide is used for many vegetables including broccoli and cauliflower and has a tolerance of 1PPM (parts per million), which is established by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), yet I have never seen any product being sold in the supermarket as poisonous.
• China’s “Baidu” their equivalent of Google doesn’t come up with any results when you search for “Japan Tobacco food” or “JT food”, is this being controlled by the China government?

Technorati Tags: Noon International, gyoza, dumplings, poison, Japan Tobacco, Ajinomoto

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China is in hot water again.

JT Foods a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco has imported Frozen Gyoza (Pot Stickers) contaminated with an organophosphate insecticide methamidophos. As of today at least 10 people have been sickened with one 5 year child slipping into a coma.

The frozen Gyoza was produced by the Chinese manufacture Hebei Foodstuffs Import & Export Group Tianyang Food Processing. Thus far little information is coming out of Beijing in light of the recent 4 month food safety campaign that was proclaimed to be a total success.

JT Foods is in the process of recalling 13 tons of the contaminated dumplings voluntarily. In addition they will be recalling 22 other items also produced by the same manufacture.

Questions to ponder:

How could this happen if all the product is being inspected by the Chinese CIQ?
How could this pass through Japanese customs?
Will the Japanese government impose new controls on imported foodstuffs from China?
Will the Japanese consumers revolt and stop buying Chinese imported foodstuffs?
How will this incidence restore confidence in Chinese foodstuffs?

Company Profile Of Chinese Manufacture:

Company Name: QINHUANGDAO TIANYANG INDUSTRIAL COMPANY
Primary Business Type:Manufacture Trader
Number of Employees:162
Registered Catipal(RMB):3.14 million
Parent Company:HEBEI FOODSTUFFS IMPORT AND EXPORT (GROUP) CORP.

Company Introduction:
QINHUANGDAO TIANYANG INDUSTRIAL COMPANY is located in the center of Qinhuangdao Foreign Trade Zone, covering an area of 60054.14 square meters, with fixed assets of 42 million Yuan. It is a comprehensive import and export corporation integrating purchase, storage, food processing and trade, with independent imports and exports right. With Chinese chestnut product, canned food and quick frozen food as its main industry, the annual export revenue in foreign exchange reached 10 million dollars. In 2001, it passed ISO9001：2000 quality management system certification，HACCP management system is also in operation.

Other Resources

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/01/30/dumplings.japan.ap/
http://www.smartmoney.com/news/on/index.cfm?story=ON-20080130-000196-0424
http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=106&sid=1335613

Technorati Tags: Noon International, pesticide, gyoza, japan tobacco

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This is an interesting article from the Herald Tribune which claims that the Fortune Cookie actually has its origins in Japan.  No wonder after all these years travelling to China I have yet to have a fortune cookie. 

Technorati Tags: Noon International, Japan, China, fortune cookies

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Here is an update on the broccoli and cauliflower situation in China from my China friend. 

Broccoli

North areas - Shandong Province
Harvest so poor we can consider this as no harvest, nothing to offer.

Middle Eastern China - Zhejiang and Jiangsu Province

Peak season for frozen will start in about 15 days.  Growers planted more this year than last but lost a lot during the typhoon in November (krosa), consequently supply will be about the same as last year.  Currently what is available today is costing about 3.00RMB (Renminbi) per kilo versus the normal 1.00 - 1.20RMB per kilo.  We predict the average price for this year will be around 2.00 - 2.20 per kilo.

South China - Fujian and Guangdong Province
The season will not start until late January 2008. So far the growing conditions are normal.  At present we don’t have any price indication but we feel broccoli will definitely be higher than last year.

Overall the total harvest from China will be 20-30% short (or lower than last year).  Prices will be higher due to shortage, raw material cost, labor and energy cost.

Cauliflower

North areas - Shandong Province
Harvest is so poor we can say no harvest or no quantity to offer.

Middle Eastern China - Zhejiang and Jiangsu Province
The total harvest will be about 40-50% short (or less than last years crop).  The season will start in about 20 days.  So far the weather and growing conditions appear to be normal for the month  of December.  The average raw material cost last year was 0.80 - 0.90 RMB per kilo.  We are predicting that this year the average raw material prices will be around 1.80 - 2.00RMB per kilo. 

South China - Fujian and Guangdong Province
Planting area is the same as last year.  So far the growing conditions are normal with the season starting late January 2008.  We predict the harvest will be the same as last year with the only question being at what price.

Of particular note is the white color of the cauliflower.  The best color is in the North, followed by the Middle Eastern areas and lastly in the South where it may have a little yellowish tinge.

Again the overall harvest for China will be short and prices will be higher this coming year for the same reasons as broccoli.
 
Of particular note is the Japanese.  They are large users of the broccoli and cauliflower from China as well as from other parts of the world.  With Mexico having problems and China having problems it is likely that we may see the Japanese bid up the price of broccoli and cauliflower to secure the quantities needed.

For those interested in frozen broccoli or cauliflower from China now is the time to act to secure quantities needed.

Technorati Tags:  Noon International, China, broccoli, cauliflower

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McDonald’s Holding Co. (Japan) announced on Tuesday that 4 of their franchises were selling outdated salads, yoghurt and shakes, altering the best before dates.  This is just another incidence of food safety that has hit Japan recently.  

I guess one could say that increasing profits out weighs food safety.  Read the blog here.

Technorati Tags: Noon International, Japan, food safety, McDonald

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