Reply To: To eat or not eat food and candy made in chna

Beware Of These 9 Foods From China That Could Be Contaminated
Scott O’Reilly
2 years ago
The air quality in China is notoriously bad. Unfortunately, water and soil pollution in the People’s Republic is just as horrendous. Asia may seem like a long way off, but thanks to globalization, contaminated food from China is finding its ways onto supermarket shelves in this country. Why is this happening? What Chinese food products pose a danger? And what can you do to protect your family? Here are some things you need to know.

Food safety is woeful in China
Food production in China is very poorly regulated. In addition, the inspection process is famous for being thoroughly corrupted. As a result, most Chinese citizens have very little confidence in the food they consume.

In fact, U.S. Customs officials frequently reject large batches of foodstuff shipments from China because they contain unhealthy additives, dangerous drug residues or they are simply unsanitary. Nevertheless, contaminated food still gets in.
Water for irrigation is polluted
Food safety experts contend that there are multiple problems with China’s agricultural products. To begin with, industrial-style farming in China is virtually unregulated. As a result, both soil and waterways are heavily contaminated with heavy metals, pesticide residues and industrial waste. That means crops are irrigated with filthy water supplies and grown in toxic soil.
In fact, lakes, rivers and reservoirs are so polluted in China that local farmers complain that the irrigation water they rely on is frequently discolored and black. However, the so-called “dirty water” is all they have available for farming.
Corrupt health officials and mislabeling are additional problems that afflict China’s food industry. Consequently, tainted products are the rule rather than the exception. And fraudulent packaging means no one can trust what they are eating. Here is a list of foods from China to avoid:
1. Fish
Cod and other foods from China may be contaminated
Cod and tilapia are two popular kinds of seafood that frequently come from China. In fact, more than half of the cod and tilapia sold in the U.S. are bred and grown in Chinese fish farms. The main problem is that water pollution is endemic. Any fish raised there are probably contaminated by heavy metals like mercury or lead, which pose a significant hazard — particularly to pregnant women.
2. Chicken
Factory farming is not only inhumane, it’s also unhealthy. Industrial agricultural practices are even worse in China where viruses like the avian flu are rampant in poultry centers.
3. Apple juice
Recently, the U.S. government lifted restrictions on importing apples from China. America grows more than enough apples to supply all our country’s needs, but now half the apple juice sold in the states comes from China. Several years ago, health officials found antifreeze in juice from China. Even if that problem has been rectified, apples grown in toxic Chinese soil should be suspect.
4. Green peas
Green peas and other foods from China may be contaminated
Contaminated food is bad enough, but fake food can be even more dangerous. Phony soups, pudding and rice are fairly common in China. Now, a new concoction has hit the marketplace — counterfeit peas. They contain soy, chemicals like metabisulfite and a green dye. Peas from China should be avoided.

Edited for length – please break up extra-long posts. Thanks! -33