Filed under: The Food Supply | Tags: Food Safety, organic food, Organic Foods, Whole Foods Market
Whole foods official blog has this post: ”Is Organic from China Possible”. Here is my post on their blog. You can view their blog here
http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2008/06/is-organic-from-china-possible/comment-page-1/#comment-34923
and post your own comments.
Personally, I still do not feel secure with any products from China (or other countries) let alone food. I have read about the “audits” that are done. For example, a manufacturer can purchase a $1000. audit or an $8000. audit and still pass but the more expensive audit will be more comprehensive.
There is documentation from cases that after passing numerous audits there was tainted food that had to be recalled from those manufacturers. At least in the USA (although there have been cases of tainted food), you know that regulations are stricter than overseas. What chemicals are allowed and handling standards are watched more closely here.
Speaking of organics, another problem is that since the “organic movement” is becoming more acceptable and more people are buying into the fact that organics are better for you, many more companies are jumping onto the bandwagon to make money in this area and are lowering the organic standards.
One example of this is Horizon. I have read that they are using cows that were not raised organically and using them in their milk production. There are some companies out there that are strictly sticking to the “organic principals” and I will continue to buy their products.
I spend hundreds of dollars a month at Whole Foods to buy food for my family that is nutritious and safe. I read the labels carefully and keep up to date on the ingredients terminology as the term for msg and other additives have changed to try to hide them in foods. I also read the frozen packages as I have seen frozen vegetables from China in your stores (although I was told they are about 1% of your inventory).
The most disturbing thing for me is when I think I am buying a product from USA and I find out that yes, it was manufactured in the USA but with ingredients from China or other countries. For example, Solgar Vitamins makes vitamins in the USA but with most of the ingredients from China and other countries. I called them and asked where they get their ingredients and they said “China and other countries”. There is an 800 number right on the bottle. They are one of the most recommended vitamin companies. Now, I won’t buy them but I appreciate their honesty.
When this is the case, then it should be labeled manufactured in the USA with outsourced ingredients because technically, these products are not manufactured in the USA just assembled here if the ingredients are foreign.
So, with all of this you really can’t trust any of it. If it is labeled USA it can be full of ingredients from China. How can we know? There needs to be stricter labeling policies which the food manufacturers are fighting and lobbying in Washington to stop.
The more informed consumers are will allow them to choose what they want to consume and not think they are getting one thing when they are really eating something else. Then, when Americans stop buying this foregin food and it starts rotting on the shelves, maybe then manufacturers and stores with stop stocking it.
Until then, those who are uninformed and just buy for the pretty packaging, because they liked the commercial or because they don’t know where the food is really from, will just have to cross their fingers and hope that their next meal won’t be tainted with chemicals, filth or any other foregin object.
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