Is China's Food Production Poisoning Us?

[flounder]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 18, 2007
Media Inquiries:
Michael Herndon, 301-827-6242
Consumer Inquiries:
888-INFO-FDA


FDA Warns Consumers about Risk of Botulism Poisoning from Hot Dog Chili Sauce Marketed Under a Variety of Brand Names

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to eat 10 ounce cans of Castleberry's Hot Dog Chili Sauce (UPC 3030000101), Austex Hot Dog Chili Sauce (UPC 3030099533), and Kroger Hot Dog Chili Sauce (UPC 1111083942) with "best by" dates from April 30, 2009 through May 22, 2009 due to possible botulism contamination. Botulism can be fatal. The "best by dates" can be found on the can lids.

Consumers who have any of these products or any foods made with these products should throw them away immediately. If the "best by" date is missing or unreadable consumers should throw the product out.

Two children in Texas and an Indiana couple who ate these products became seriously ill and have been hospitalized.

Symptoms of botulism poisoning can begin from 6 hours to 2 weeks after eating food that contains the toxin. Symptoms may include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness that moves progressively down the body, affecting the shoulders first then descending to the upper arms, lower arms, thighs, calves, etc. Botulism poisoning can also cause paralysis of the breathing muscles which can result in death unless assistance with breathing (mechanical ventilation) is provided.

Individuals who show these symptoms and who may have recently eaten Castleberry's Hot Dog Chili Sauce, Austex Hot Dog Chili Sauce, or Kroger Hot Dog Chili Sauce should seek immediate medical attention.

All of the above products are manufactured by the Castleberry Food Company in Augusta, Georgia.

Castleberry has informed FDA that it is voluntarily recalling all of the potentially contaminated products and is cooperating with FDA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the states' active investigations into the cause of this contamination and scope of the products' distribution.

FDA will provide updates as more information becomes available. Consumers can call the FDA at 1-888-SAFEFOOD.

Castleberry recommends consumers with any questions or concerns about this recall should contact Jamie Leicht of Fleishman Hillard at 1-888-203-8446.

####

FDA's Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts Page: http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html


EVERYBODY BETTER CHECK THERE CABINETS, we had a can from kroger with the lot number they are recalling, and it aint from China. ...

 

[PORKER]

Chinese Ingredients????????????????????????????? makes everyone sick!

Castleberry's Food Company is expanding our voluntary recall to additional products. If you had previously determined your Castleberry's products were not included in the recall announced on July 18, you should check them again using the updated information below.

Castleberry's is working closely with health officials to investigate possible contamination of these products. During this investigation, we are taking every step necessary to ensure the safety of the families that use our products every day.

The expanded recall includes the products listed below with ALL "best by" and code dates. (The recall originally announced on July 18 affected only 10 products with "best by" dates from APR30 2009 through MAY22 2009)

The Great Value Chili products included in this recall are distributed and sold in Canada ONLY. The Great Value brand in the United States is not associated with Castleberry's or this recall. We greatly apologize for any confusion.

You can also review our frequently asked questions page and the news release for additional information.

Frequently Asked Questions
News Release
Refund Request Form
Complete List of Recalled Items

Brand Product Can Size Label UPC Barcode
Austex Beef Stew 15oz 30300 90815
Austex Chili with Beans 15oz 30300 91015
Austex Chili with Beans 19oz 30300 92519
Austex Chili no Beans 15oz 30300 97715
Austex Chili no Beans 19oz 30300 97719
Austex Onion Hot Dog Chili Sauce 10oz 30300 97101
Austex Hot Dog Chili Sauce 10oz 30300 99533
Best Yet Chili with Beans 15oz 42187 40842
Best Yet Corned Beef Hash 15oz 42187 41082
Big Y Chili with Beans 15oz 18894 80425
Big Y Chili no Beans 15oz 18894 80424
Big Y Corned Beef Hash 15oz 18894 80225
Black Rock Chili with Beans 15oz 30300 01715
Bloom Hot Dog Chili Sauce 10oz 25439 92448
Bryan Chili no Beans 10oz 53400 35264
Bryan Chili no Beans 15oz 53400 30200
Bryan Chili with Beans 15oz 53400 30205
Bryan Corned Beef Hash 15oz 53400 30110
Bryan Hot Dog Chili Sauce with Beef 10oz 53400 30010
Bunker Hill Chili no Beans 10oz 75266 04112
Bunker Hill Spicier Chili no Beans 10oz 75266 04224
Bunker Hill Hot Dog Chili Sauce 10oz 75266 04152
Castleberry's Barbecue Pork in Barbecue Sauce 10oz 30300 00402
Castleberry's Barbecue Pork in Barbecue Sauce 14.5oz 30300 00415
Castleberry's Barbecue Beef 10oz 30300 00602
Castleberry's Beef Stew 15oz 30300 00815
Castleberry's Brunswick Beef Stew Chicken & Beef 15oz 30300 00315
Castleberry's Chili with Beans 15oz 30300 01015
Castleberry's Chili no Beans 10oz 30300 07701
Castleberry's Chili no Beans 15oz 30300 07715
Castleberry's Corned Beef Hash 15oz 30300 00915
Castleberry's Creamed Chip Beef Gravy 10oz 30300 05150
Castleberry's Georgia Hash 15oz 30300 00215
Castleberry's Hot Chili with Beans 15oz 30300 07217
Castleberry's Hot Dog Chili Sauce 10oz 30300 00101
Castleberry's Onion Hot Dog Chili Sauce 10oz 30300 07101
Castleberry's Sausage Gravy 10oz 30300 05130
Cattle Drive Beef Stew 15oz 30300 01530
Cattle Drive Chicken Chili with Beans 15oz 30300 01525
Cattle Drive Chili no Beans 15oz 30300 01520
Cattle Drive Chili with Beans 15oz 30300 01515
Firefighters Chicken Chili with Beans 15oz 73725 00413
Firefighters Chili with Beans 15oz 73725 00411
Firefighters Chili no Beans 15oz 73725 00412
Food Club Corned Beef Hash 15oz 36800 80204
Food Club Chili with Beans 15oz 36800 80504
Food Club Chili no Beans 15oz 36800 80404
Food Lion Hot Dog Chili Sauce 10oz 35826 06911
Goldstar Original Chili 10oz 24575 00001
Goldstar Chili 15oz 24575 00005
Goldstar Tex-Mex Chili with Beans 15oz 24575 00008
Great Value (Canada Only) Hot Chili with Beans 15oz 81131 79995
Great Value (Canada Only) Chili with Beans 15oz 81131 79994
Kroger Chili with Beans 15oz 11110 83930
Kroger Chili no Beans 15oz 11110 83908
Kroger Beef Stew 15oz 11110 83928
Kroger Hot Dog Chili Sauce 10oz 11110 83942
Lowes Foods Chili with Beans 15oz 41643 01097
Lowes Foods Chili no Beans 15oz 41643 01092
Lowes Foods Corned Beef Hash 15oz 41643 01094
Meijer Chili with Beans 15oz 41250 95221
Meijer Chili no Beans 15oz 41250 95220
Meijer Corned Beef Hash 15oz 41250 95229
Meijer Hot Dog Chili Sauce 10oz 41250 85862
Morton House Chili With Beans Beef & Chicken 15oz 75266 65851
Morton House Corned Beef Hash 15oz 75266 65830
Paramount Chili with Beans 15oz 75266 00502
Paramount Chili no Beans 15oz 75266 00501
Paramount Hot Dog Chili Sauce 10oz 75266 00510
Paramount Chili Hot Dog Chili 15oz 75266 00526
Piggly Wiggly Chili no Beans 10oz 41290 37355
Piggly Wiggly Chili no Beans 15oz 41290 37354
Piggly Wiggly Chili with Beans 15oz 41290 37252
Piggly Wiggly Corned Beef Hash 15oz 41290 37357
Prudence Corned Beef Hash 15oz 41141 00020
Southern Home Chili no Beans 10oz 38259 48713
Southern Home Chili no Beans 15oz 07880 15340
Southern Home Chili with Beans 15oz 07880 15341
Southern Home Corned Beef Hash 15oz 07880 15360
Steak 'n Shake Chili with Beans 10oz 51844 00120
Thrifty Maid Chili with Beans 15oz 21140 21370
Thrifty Maid Corned Beef Hash 15oz 21140 21375
Thrifty Maid Hot Dog Chili Sauce 10oz 21140 21367
Triple Bar Chili no Beans 15oz 30300 05805
Triple Bar Chili with Beans 15oz 30300 05804
Triple Bar Chili with Beans Slow Cooked 15oz 30300 05801
Value Time Beef and Chicken Chili with Beans 15oz 11225 42159



Canned Pet Food Products



Brand Product Can Size Label UPC Barcode
Natural Balance Eatables for Dogs Irish Stew With Beef,
Potatoes & Carrots 15oz 23633 59860
Natural Balance Eatables for Dogs Chinese Take Out With
Sauce With Vegetables and Chicken 15oz 23633 59861
Natural Balance Eatables for Dogs HOBO Chili with
Chicken & Pasta 15oz 23633 59863
Natural Balance Eatables for Dogs Southern Style Dumplings
With Chicken & Vegetables

 

[flounder]

RE-Chinese Ingredients??? MAKING EVERYBODY SICK


FDA Press Release


This listserv covers mainly Class I (life-threatening) recalls. A complete listing of recalls can be found in the FDA Enforcement Report at: http://www.fda.gov/opacom/Enforce.html





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 3, 2007
Media Inquiries:
Catherine McDermott, 301-827-6242
Consumer Inquiries:
888-INFO-FDA



FDA Warns of Potential Botulism Risk from Canned French Cut Green Beans
Product Marketed Under a Variety of Brand Names
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to eat certain brands of French Cut Green Beans in 14.5 ounce cans manufactured by Lakeside Foods Inc, of Manitowoc, Wisconsin because the product may not have been processed adequately to eliminate the potential for botulism toxin. This warning is not related to another recent warning for botulism.

The canned green beans may cause botulism if consumed. FDA is providing this warning to make consumers aware of the possible risk of serious illness from eating these products. As of August 1, 2007, FDA had not received reports of illnesses related to the product.

The botulism toxin is very potent, and botulism is a life-threatening illness. Symptoms of botulism can begin from six hours to two weeks after eating food that contains the toxin. The symptoms may include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness that moves progressively down the body, affecting the shoulders first then descending to the upper arms, lower arms, thighs, and calves. Botulism also may cause paralysis of the breathing muscles, which can result in death unless assistance with breathing (mechanical ventilation) is provided. Individuals who show these symptoms and who may have recently eaten the product should seek immediate medical attention.

The affected Lakeside cut green beans are sold nationwide under the following labels: Albertson's, Happy Harvest, Best Choice, Food Club, Bogopa, Valu Time, Hill Country Fare, HEB, Laura Lynn, Kroger, No Name, North Pride, Shop N Save, Shoppers Valu, Schnucks, Cub Foods, Dierbergs, Flavorite, IGA, Best Choice and Thrifty Maid. The specific codes (top line of can code) involved are: EAA5247, EAA5257, EAA5267, EAA5277, EAB5247, EAB5257, ECA5207, ECA5217, ECA5227, ECA5297, ECB5207, ECB5217, ECB5227, ECB5307.

Consumers who have any of these products or any foods made with these products should dispose of them immediately. If the code on an affected can is missing or unreadable, consumers should throw the product out.

Lakeside Foods has informed FDA that it is voluntarily recalling all of the potentially contaminated products.

Lakeside Foods recommends that consumers with any questions or concerns about the recall should call the company at 800-466-3834 ext. 4090.

####

Firm Press Release (August 1, 2007)

CDC Clostridium botulinum Page

FDA's Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts Page: http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html

___________________________________________________



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TSS

 

[mrj]

Obviously the only solution to all the food dangers is to eat only foods we grow, prepare, and store at home, by our own hands.

Oh, wait! E.coli occurs naturally in soils, being deposited there by a large number of wild animals and birds, as well as our own domestic animals. Do we dare use composted barnyard waste as compost on our gardens???

Of course, we must wait till freezing temperatures before slaughtering our own beef and pork animals. Lets see, are we going to hang the carcasses in the barn, or the chickenhouse, or no, the garage would be cleaner.......or would it? Mice can get in through a space a quarter inch wide. Insects can come in every time a door is opened.....what ARE we to do????

mrj

 

[Sandhusker]

Obviously the only solution to all the food dangers is to eat only foods we grow, prepare, and store at home, by our own hands.

Oh, wait! E.coli occurs naturally in soils, being deposited there by a large number of wild animals and birds, as well as our own domestic animals. Do we dare use composted barnyard waste as compost on our gardens???

Of course, we must wait till freezing temperatures before slaughtering our own beef and pork animals. Lets see, are we going to hang the carcasses in the barn, or the chickenhouse, or no, the garage would be cleaner.......or would it? Mice can get in through a space a quarter inch wide. Insects can come in every time a door is opened.....what ARE we to do????

mrj

What we ought to do is spend millions of dollars on all aspects of food safety; food handling, processing, etc.... We also should spend millions of dollars on research to determine which drugs are safe for food animals and which are not, proper withdrawal times and all that. Once we have millions and millions invested in a safe food system, we should just open our doors to products from all over the world, regardless if there was any thought to safety or any oversight when they were produced or not, thus making all the time and money invested so far a complete waste. And hey, let's not even check them, we can trust everybody, can't we? OH wait, we're already doing that.... :roll:

 

[mrj]

Sandhusker, if you don't trust USDA in many areas, why do you trust their inspections of USA produced foods? Or is it that you trust food producers WITHIN the USA?

So, if you DO trust USDA food inspection systems, some portions of which are controlled and manned by the company producing the food with oversight by USDA, then why do you not trust the inspection systems of other nations which must meet USDA criteria and have inspectors trained by USDA?

It seems logical to me that in the end, it ALL comes down to a matter of some trust along with the occasional inspections or checking o inspection systems and inspectors and food samples. There is no such thing as a certainty that all food is pristinely clean and safe all the time, IMO. Wise goals, yes, absolute perfection, impossible!

mrj

 

[Sandhusker]

MRJ, I suggest you start with page one of this thread and read through it. You should also make time to watch at least a half hour of national news each day. I don't think you know what's going on.

 

[mrj]

Sandhusker, you belly-ache about USDA, but they have been cited by some in government and media as doing a better job of what they inspect than is FDA.

You disparage packers, beef industry, et. al., yet they have been cited as doing a better job of decreasing e coli illness incidences than have other food industries.

I have read this ENTIRE thread. I read, hear, or watch far more than an HOUR a day of local, national, and international news, plus more in depth articles in ag media on a variety of subjects.

Obviously, you are the one with your head in the sand..........or at best, into the R-CALF play book to the point you are blind to reality and appear so embittered about the current administrations' policies you refuse to see the good things achieved by USDA and others in industry and government.

mrj

 

[PORKER]

China to tighten seafood rules
August 2, 2007

BY AUDRA ANG

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Source of Article: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070802/NEWS07/708020421/1001/NEWS

BEIJING -- China said Wednesday that it will inspect fish farms across the nation to guard against the use of illegal drugs and chemicals but insisted the majority of its seafood products are safe.

The move, part of China's efforts to woo back international customers after a series of safety scares, comes as a team of U.S. health officials met with Chinese officials to discuss stricter controls on food and drug trade and increasing cooperation to improve product safety.

China has said the talks, led by U.S. Health and Human Services official Rich McKeown, also will focus on a U.S. block of Chinese catfish, basa, dace, shrimp and eel after repeated testing turned up contamination by drugs not approved in the United States for farmed seafood.

Other new measures are to include the blacklisting of violators and better education and training for producers, the government-run China Daily newspaper reported, citing Chen Yide, vice director of the Ministry of Agriculture's fisheries bureau.

Chen blamed drug residues found in seafood on unscrupulous producers and repeated China's stance that U.S. restrictions on the five types of seafood were indiscriminate and unacceptable.

International worries about Chinese exports have mounted since a pet food ingredient from China was blamed in the deaths of cats and dogs in North America, triggering recalls and bans around the world.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, who ended two days of trade talks Wednesday with Chinese leaders in Beijing, said his discussions touched on consumer-product safety and food safety, but he gave no details.

 

[MoGal]

http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/editorials/stories/2007/08/04/pro04.ART_ART_08-04-07_A10_KI7GSQK.html


Should China's food, drugs be banned?
Yes: The only reasonable alternative is extensive labeling
Saturday, August 4, 2007 3:20 AM
By ALAN TONELSON


China has just made the strongest possible argument for immediate action to protect American consumers from its dangerous food and drugs.

A few days ago, a Beijing spokesman admitted: "Our work with food and drug supervision is just beginning. The foundation of the work is still weak, and the trend is not promising."

The implications are unmistakable. Any Chinese goods made for direct or indirect human consumption must be considered a priori hazardous. Whatever Beijing's intentions, China's regulatory woes will persist for decades. Thus, Washington's continued dithering increasingly invites epidemics and mass deaths.

With Chinese products proliferating in U.S. markets, neutralizing the threat grows more challenging each day.

The quantity of Chinese imports Washington knows about -- goods including canned fruits, vegetables and seafood; nonchocolate candy; soaps; toothpaste; and vitamin ingredients -- that enter the U.S. in their original form -- is tiny in absolute terms. But the levels of most of these have jumped at least fourfold since the late 1990s.

No data exist for Chinese food and drug imports entering the U.S. market as ingredients of final products, whether produced domestically or abroad, but recent reporting reveals them to be widespread and growing at least as rapidly.

As for unprocessed Chinese food products -- especially fish, meat, fruits and vegetables -- U.S. imports are booming, too, but data for their share of U.S. consumption is patchy.

Because the threat's scale is unknown, simply banning food and drug products from China won't suffice. Yet even the strongest alternatives advanced so far are inadequate or unrealistic.

Seeking Chinese promises of regulatory improvements ignores the fatal systemic flaws Beijing acknowledges. Assuming that American and other exporters from China will move aggressively to protect their brands and avoid lawsuits, ignores businesses' slipshod record and will work often only after products sicken or kill Americans.

Tightening the U.S. inspection system at home and extending its monitoring authority over Chinese production would help. But the costs should be borne by some combination of the Chinese government and all companies exporting from China to the United States.

Why charge U.S. taxpayers because their leaders and multinational businesses recklessly pushed to open domestic food and drug markets to an irresponsible supplier? In the end, however, Washington can't supply enough people to bring China's sprawling production networks under control.

The realistic alternative is mandatory, detailed country-of-origin labeling for all food and drug products sold in America -- including ingredients.

Initially, five kinds of labels would enable American consumers to make informed choices and efficiently send businesses accurate market signals, without creating vast new bureaucracies.

• Labels for goods produced entirely under the domestic regulatory system, would certify the product as safe for human consumption.

• Labels for goods made with foreign but no Chinese inputs would certify that the product may be safe for human consumption.

• Labels for goods containing any Chinese inputs would state that the product cannot be certified as safe for human consumption.

• Labels for companies unwilling or unable to disclose contents in sufficient detail would carry the same warning as long as the information is missing.

• Labels for all unprocessed food would specify the country of origin.

Providing false information would lead to mandatory criminal penalties, sky-high fines, corporate shutdowns and complete import bans. To avoid discriminating against China, this system would be extended as quickly as possible to cover other trade partners with demonstrably poor regulatory systems. Some will object that developing countries will be unfairly "profiled." But American consumers will surely choose safety over political correctness as long as necessary.

Alan Tonelson is a research fellow at the U.S. Business & Industry Council in Washington and the author of The Race to the Bottom. Readers may write to him at USBIC, 910 16th St., Suite 300, Washington, D.C. 20006. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.



Best idea I've heard yet: Tightening the U.S. inspection system at home and extending its monitoring authority over Chinese production would help. But the costs should be borne by some combination of the Chinese government and all companies exporting from China to the United States.

 

[Anonymous]

US toy firm 'names' China company in lead scare
August 8, 2007 - 5:40PM

US toy company Mattel has identified a factory in China involved in producing toys recalled over fears they were tainted with poisonous lead, a report said today.

The California-based company named Lee Der Industrial Co, in the southeastern province of Guangdong, as the factory involved in Mattel's recall of 1.5 million toys last week, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The toys, including popular characters such as Elmo and Dora the Explorer, were believed to contain lead paint.

After pulling them from the shelves, the company was criticised for not revealing the identity of the manufacturers involved.

Mattel said it was still carrying out an investigation about the recalled products but was no longer accepting shipments from the factory in Guangdong, the leading business daily reported.

It was the latest in a series of consumer health safety scares in the United States in recent months involving goods made in China.

AFP

http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/blame-games/2007/08/08/1186530438168.html

 

[PORKER]

Comments From a US produce broker ;

Regarding the recent Chinese fresh ginger recall, and other products.

(US produce broker)I spent about 10 years of my career in the garlic and ginger businesses, with product from China playing a greater role as each year rolled on. It became clear that travel to China was appropriate, so I made the trips and learned much about the production and processing of both garlic and ginger. I offer the following observations:

While shippers in China routinely tout their growing operations as large-scale farms, the majority of export product is produced on small, uninspected, independent family plots. Farm implements consist of livestock, small, 1940's era single cylinder diesel-powered walk-behind machines, and, of course, human hands and backs.

I visited numerous packing sheds, and observed on many occasions women in their 70's crouching on the dirt floor, sometimes with sneezing children on their laps, grading, sizing, and hand trimming garlic or ginger using a small knife with a curved blade. I saw many fingers bandaged with what appeared to be masking tape, frequently stained red from a bloody wound.
Many garlic packing sheds inventoried numerous pallets of empty cartons. Some of these cartons were labeled "Product of Uzbekistan" or "Product of Thailand". These cartons are intended for export to the USA. Mislabeling the product is done in an effort to circumvent the US Dept. of Commerce anti-dumping duty assessed on garlic produced in China.
When I asked through my interpreter if a shipper could provide organically produced product, the packinghouse manager went to his desk to retrieve a rubber stamp. The stamp simply said "ORGANIC". I was quoted the same price for "organic" garlic as for the conventional product.
At a peeled garlic processing facility (actually an open-air, fly-infested shed adjacent to a malodorous drainage ditch), I observed workers dumping peeled garlic cloves into a large tub filled with a cloudy, viscous liquid. Upon inquiry about this step in processing, I was told that the tub was filled with a sulfite(The substance may be toxic to kidneys, liver.
Repeated or prolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage. Repeated exposure to this
highly toxic material may produce general deterioration of health by an accumulation in one or many humans) solution, which ensures that the cloves retain a bright white hue in shipping and handling. The packaging for this product was for the Japanese market, arguably the world's most demanding market.
Wheat and other grain crops are cut by hand and sickle. Separating the grain from the chaff is accomplished by laying the stalks on the nearest road, where the passing truck tires pass over the stalks at high speed, with the vehicle's wind leaving only the grain on the road surface. I observed this all over Shandong Province, with many laborers standing on the roadside with big 100-lb burlap sacks labeled "Cargill". Once a suitable pause in traffic occurred, the laborers used handmade straw brooms to whisk the grain from the pavement into the sacks. Did Cargill's office in China authorize this?

These observations, along with many others, have led me to the conclusion that food safety is only a pleasant thought in the parts of Shandong Province I visited. Claims that US marketers of Chinese produce can control, or even monitor, production are laughable.


China is not a place where you can rent a car at the airport and drive out to the field to check up on a grower. China is not a place where a US company can open an office and take charge of anything. China is an unregulated place where the shippers understand capitalism very well and will tell buyers exactly what they want to hear. Remember, outsiders don't control anything in China — only the Chinese do.

Perhaps, someday, China might be able to ship acceptably safe product ,produced to Western standards. But not yet, not in 50 years.

 

[PORKER]

Organic, With Pesticides (Extended)
Some farmers in China are taking advantage of confusing rules to falsely label food

The word "wholesome" doesn't exactly spring to mind when describing Chinese exports these days. But for years now, Chinese farmers have fed soaring global demand for organic foods. China's organic exports totaled $350 million in 2005 (the most recent data available)—up from $150 million the previous year—according to China's largest organic food certification agency. The country now represents 5% of global trade in such products, up to this level today from 1.2% in 2004. And that share is bound to grow as more land is converted to chemical-free farming. China now ranks third worldwide in organic farmland, after Australia and Argentina, up from 45th in 2000.

Organic produce from China isn't turning up at supermarkets stateside just yet. Organic vegetables and fruits don't travel well, so most of China's organic produce is shipped to closer markets such as Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. But organic soybeans, rice, and other grains, along with frozen vegetables and fruit concentrate from China are all making their way into processed organic foods that wind up on store shelves in the U.S., food brokers say. U.S. government agencies don't collect data on the value or country of origin of organic food imports.

In light of the recent toothpaste and medicine scandals, Americans might rightly wonder what passes for organic in China. While falsely labeled organic foods are a problem all over the world, in China the situation is murkier than just about anywhere. Not only are there two rival clean-food standards, Green Food and Organic Food, backed by different government ministries, there also 21 separate agencies that claim the right to certify food as organic.

FRAUD THRIVES IN CHAOTIC MARKET. Only one, the Nanjing-based Organic Food Development Center (OFDC), is accredited by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements, an umbrella organization headquartered in Bonn, Germany. "The problem with the domestic market is that Chinese consumers don't believe in certification. They don't believe in the integrity of what they see," said Washington State University professor Paul Thiers.

Within China's organic food industry, fraud is a widespread problem, say organic farm owners. "China's organic food market is chaotic," acknowledges Liu Lei, secretary general of the Association of Green Development, a trade group representing organic farmers in the southern province of Yunnan. "You have a lot of small companies taking produce grown with pesticides and chemical fertilizers, then advertising it and selling it as organic."

Even some global heavyweights have been duped. Wal-Mart (WMT ) began several years ago procuring organic produce from a large-scale "organic" farm near Beijing to sell in Supercenter branches around China. Last year, Wal-Mart had to pull the produce from its Chinese stores after a surprise inspection revealed that the supplier was selling vegetables treated with pesticides. "It wasn't just Wal-Mart. The organic farm had to recall their produce from all the supermarkets they supplied," said Yunnan-based He Fan, Wal-Mart Kunming fresh produce procurement manager.

IMPORTERS VISIT THE FARM. Worries over quality have spurred some U.S. companies to dispatch their own people to verify whether Chinese producers are really organic. For instance, Frutzzo, a small producer of organic juices in Alpine, Utah, was interested in buying yungberry—a small, round, bright-red fruit that only grows in southeast China—fruit concentrate from a supplier in Zhejiang province.

Chief Executive Tony Xanthos made two trips to China this year to visit the farms where the fruit is grown, in the mountains of Zhejiang, and the processing facilities where it's turned into concentrate. Xanthos found a clean processing facility and yungberry farms where farmers worked under fair and humane conditions. Afterward, he inked a deal to import 30 containers of concentrate. The first shipments have already arrived and will be on shelves nationwide in September. "We need to know where the food comes from and we need to be able to trace it back to the farmers," says Terry Xanthos, Tony's son and president of the company.

QUESTIONABLE PRINCIPLES. Still, some unscrupulous companies in China clearly have tried to con their way into the U.S. market. Haobao Certified Organic Farm cultivates vegetables and raises chicken, cows, and sheep on a small farm in Yunnan province. OFDC-certified Haobao supplies the Parkson and Trust-Mart supermarket chains in Kunming with organic vegetables and recently signed on to supply Wal-Mart supercenters.

Founder Ming Yi says he was once approached by a farm in northeastern China that exports vegetables to the U.S. under the Ministry of Agriculture-backed Green Food standard, which is less stringent than organic. The outfit wanted to buy 10 kilos of Haobao's produce and submit it to the OFDC for inspection as if it were its own. Says Ming, "We don't do business with these kinds of people."

They are trying to con their way into the U.S. market, They don't care a wit whether you and or your family or livestock get sick or die. Its all about selling something for cash.

 

[PORKER]

DO YOU FEED DARLINGS PREMIX Minerals?

Darling International recalled 1.4 million pounds of meat and bone meal adulterated with melamine at the end of April 2007. As most of us will remember, this was at the height of the melamine from China hype. So, why did the FDA wait over 3 months to add the recall to its site?WHY

Also, if melamine in pet food is a Class I recall, why is melamine in the meat and bone meal used for pet food a Class III recall? Inquiring minds would like to know.FDA Code (37)

 

[Sandhusker]

Mattel Recalling More Chinese-Made Toys Over Lead Paint in Latest Blow to Toy Industry


WASHINGTON (AP) -- Mattel recalled 9 million Chinese-made toys Tuesday, including Polly Pocket play sets and Batman action figures, because of dangers to children from lead paint or tiny magnets that could be swallowed.
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Even as the massive recall was announced, company officials warned that it could grow as Mattel implemented more rigorous testing measures to ensure toy safety as the industry gears up for the holiday-buying season.

The government warned consumers to check at home and make sure their children were not playing with any of the recalled toys.

Nancy A. Nord, acting Consumer Product Safety Commission chairman, told reporters no injuries had been reported with any of the products involved in Tuesday's recalls. She explained that the scope of the recalls was intentionally broad, to "prevent any injuries from occurring."

Several injuries had been reported in an earlier Polly Pocket recall last November. In all, at least one U.S. child has died and 19 others have needed surgery since 2003 after swallowing magnets used in toys, the government said.

The new recall includes about 9.3 million play sets that contain small, powerful magnets, including Polly Pocket dolls and Batman action figures, and 253,000 die cast cars that contain lead paint. Many of the magnetic toys are older and may have been purchased as early as 2003.

In a conference call with reporters, Mattel chief executive Bob Eckert said the company is stepping up its oversight and testing in its production processes. As a result, he noted, more recalls may occur.

"There is no guarantee that we will not be here again and have more recalls," Eckert said, adding "we are testing at a very high level here."

Mattel, in a full-page ad Tuesday in some U.S. newspapers, said the company was "one of the most trusted names with parents" and was "working extremely hard to address your concerns and continue creating safe, entertaining toys for you and your children."

The recall was the latest blow to the toy industry, which has had a string of recalled products from China. With about 80 percent of toys sold worldwide made in China, toy sellers are worried shoppers will shy away from their products.

It was also the second recall involving lead paint for Mattel in two weeks. Earlier this month, consumers were warned about 1.5 million Chinese-made Fisher-Price toys that contain lead paint.

Lead is toxic if ingested by young children, and under current regulations, children's products found to have more than .06 percent lead accessible to users are subject to a recall.

"There is no excuse for lead to be found in toys entering this country," Nord said. "It's totally unacceptable and it needs to stop."

Toys recalled Tuesday include 253,000 "Sarge" car figurines from the movie "Cars," because the surface paint could contain lead levels in excess of federal standard. The 2 1/2-inch, 1-inch high car looks like a military jeep.

Also recalled were 345,000 Batman and "One Piece" action figures, 683,000 Barbie and Tanner play sets, 1 million Doggie Day Care play sets and 7.3 million Polly Pocket dolls and accessories.

In the newspaper ads, Eckert said "nothing is more important than the safety of our children."

"We have already taken steps to further ensure the safety of our toys," he said.

Nord said the company has stopped selling the recalled products, instructed retailers to pull them from the shelves and made a production change. Mattel is also offering replacement products.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which negotiated details of Mattel's recalls, reported that in the previous recall of Polly Pocket play sets Nov. 21, 2006, three children had been injured by swallowing more than one magnet. All three suffered intestinal perforations that required surgery.

When more than one magnet is swallowed, they can attach to each other and cause intestinal perforation, infection or blockage, which can be fatal.

In March 2006, another toy company, Mega Brands Inc., recalled 3.8 million Magnetix magnetic building sets after one child died and four others were seriously injured after swallowing tiny magnets in them.

Two weeks ago, Mattel's Fisher-Price division announced the worldwide recall of 1.5 million Chinese-made preschool toys -- featuring characters such as Dora the Explorer, Big Bird and Elmo -- over lead paint.

Mattel launched a full-scale investigation into all of its factories in China and discovered the latest problem during that investigation, Nord said.

Eckert said the recall decision was made at the end of last week.

In a conference call with reporters Tuesday, Eckert said that the correct paint for the "Sarge" cars was sent to a subcontractor, who apparently "chose not to use the paint."

Days after the Fisher-Price recall, Chinese officials temporarily banned the toys' manufacturer, Lee Der Industrial Co., from exporting products. A Lee Der co-owner, Cheung Shu-hung, committed suicide at a warehouse over the weekend, apparently by hanging himself, a state-run newspaper reported Monday.

Consumers should call Mattel at 888-597-6597 for information about the recalled toys with magnets, or 800-916-4997 for information about the recalled cars.

Associated Press reporters Ann Sanner in Washington and Anne D'Innocenzio in New York contributed to this report.

 

[PORKER]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Indianapolis, IN -- August 13, 2007 -- Gilchrist & Soames, an Indianapolis-based provider of toiletry products for the hotel industry, has initiated a worldwide voluntary recall of its Gilchrist & Soames 0.65oz/18ml toothpaste manufactured in China for the company by Ming Fai Enterprises International Co., LTD, after independent tests showed some samples of the toothpaste contained diethylene glycol, or DEG.

The United States Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") is not aware of any U.S. reports of poisonings from toothpaste containing DEG. However, the agency is concerned about potential risks from chronic exposure to DEG and exposure to DEG in certain populations, such as children and individuals with kidney or liver disease. DEG in toothpaste has a low but meaningful risk of toxicity and injury to these populations. Toothpaste is not intended to be swallowed, but FDA is concerned about unintentional swallowing or ingestion of toothpaste containing DEG. This voluntary recall is being conducted in cooperation with the FDA. The Company also has notified the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform in the UK to enable it to notify the European Commission to launch a RAPEX notification in the European Union.

Hotels in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, Barbados, Dominican Republic or Turks & Caicos that received the recalled toothpaste from the company's United States distribution center, and those located in the U.K., Ireland, Spain, Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and the UAE serviced by the company's U.K. distribution center, are being asked to destroy any remaining inventory.

Hotel guests, who may have received the recalled toothpaste from hotels in any of these countries, should safely dispose of it.

"After receiving the FDA alert June 1 about tainted toothpaste manufactured in China, we immediately contacted our two Chinese toothpaste suppliers and initiated a series of independent lab tests in both Hong Kong and the United States to determine the possible presence of DEG," said Kathie De Voe, president of Gilchrist & Soames.

At the same time, Gilchrist & Soames stopped all outgoing shipments and quarantined all of its "Made in China" toothpaste. The Company also communicated with all of its hotel clients and suggested that they stop offering Chinese-made Gilchrist & Soames toothpaste to their guests until further investigation and independent testing by Gilchrist & Soames and the FDA. The June 1 FDA Consumer Alert was attached. The Company took these steps even though its toothpaste was not among those cited in the FDA warning.

De Voe said, "The fifth round of our independent lab tests showed the presence of DEG in some samples at levels exceeding FDA guidelines from one of our China suppliers. We immediately began the process of initiating a voluntary recall of our complimentary-sized (.65oz/18ml) Gilchrist & Soames toothpaste. We want to ensure that any contaminated toothpaste is safely disposed of and/or destroyed."

Gilchrist & Soames is notifying its hotel clients in those countries where the toothpaste was distributed to discard their inventories. The Company is working with each hotel on a guest notification program. Materials will inform guests about this voluntary recall, including the FDA Web address for current toothpaste recalls (http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/toothpaste.html), as well as a toll-free telephone number at Gilchrist & Soames U.S. headquarters (1-866-587-6542) that hotel guests may call if they desire more information about the recall. The European Union Web address for further information about toothpaste manufactured in China is http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/dyna/rapex/rapex_archives_en.cfm. Local contact numbers in Europe for Gilchrist & Soames are as follows: Germany – 004908000004988, Ireland – 00353 1800932251, France – 0033 0805114958, Spain – 0034800098797, Switzerland - 0041 0800 001285, Hungary – 0036 0680018077, Italy – 0039 800986779, UK – 08003112139, Belgium – 0032 080048630.

De Voe said, "We are thankful that the small size of our tubes (.65oz/18ml) may help reduce the risk. However, we strongly encourage consumers to dispose of any of the recalled toothpaste they may still have."

Gilchrist & Soames is working with its global supply chain partners to be certain they meet the standards and specifications outlined in its new testing criteria. New testing to confirm the absence of DEG will be part of that process. This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the FDA, and the European Authorities.

 

[PORKER]

irwin harlton , Canadian beekeeper
The CFIA has really screwed up on imported honey, all honey on the grocery shelf is graded Canada #1.Honey from China, or any 3rd world country is being misslabelled and the consumer thinks it is a Canadian product. This is contrary to the food and drug act whereby you cannot have a confusing label on a food. You have to read the fine print on the label to find the country of origin.


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Heather R.
You're right about the honey. I had no idea. I just looked.

The front label says "Canada No. 1" and the back label says "A blend of Canadian and Argentine honey."

No sign of what percentages in this "blend."

 

[PORKER]

Tainted Treats Suspected in Dog's Death

By David Henry

August 15, 2007 – A Delaware County woman says her dog died after eating dog treats made in China.

Wal-Mart has quietly pulled a made in China dog treat from its shelves. However, there has been no public announcement, and there's no telling how many contaminated bags of treats may still be out there.

Kate Collins of Aston still finds it hard to talk about. She loves her Chihuahuas. She has two now, but her youngest is gone. Two-year-old Bella died suddenly last month after eating Bestro Chicken Jerky Strips.

Bella was dead within a week. The other dogs didn't get the same treats and they're fine.

The animal hospital did an autopsy and found that Bella died of an infection caused by toxic bacteria.

Kate bought the treats at the Wal-Mart store in Boothwyn. She said it took her days to find a manager willing to talk to her.

Wal-Mart would not say how many complaints it has gotten, but an Internet search shows similar incidents across the country.

The company has issued a statement saying it cares about people and their pets, and ordered the treats removed from the shelves of all stores. Wal-Mart has since offered to reimburse Collins for up to $2,000, which, she said, doesn't come close to covering her loss. She also said it's not about the money. She just wants to get the word out.

The Food and Drug Administration is apparently unaware of this latest problem with pet food from China. A recall has not been issued. They failed to respond to our inquiries. Wal-Mart said if you have the Bestro Chicken Jerky Strips at home, you can return them for a full refund.

Comment by Carol — August 16, 2007

 

[Anonymous]

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Poison pajamas
Embalming fluid found in kids duds from China

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Posted: August 20, 2007
5:00 p.m. Eastern



© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com

China's massive export industry has provided ginger contaminated with a pesticide, fish food raised in untreated sewage and toothpaste containing a solvent – and now children's clothing containing the poison formaldehyde.

According to a report in the Auckland, New Zealand, Sunday Star Times, an investigative team from the city's TV3 Target program has detailed how scientists found formaldehyde, a chemical preservative, in wool and cotton clothing at levels hundreds of times higher than levels considered safe.

The chemical has been used as an embalming fluid and in clothing to preserve a "permanent press." It also has been used over the years in foam padding, and is used extensively in composite wood products in construction.

Research by the World Health Organization has concluded that exposure to formaldehyde in concentrations of 20 parts per million can cause eye, skin and nasal irritations, asthmas and cancer.

However, the testing for the television program resulted in some startling finds.

"Our results were shocking, ranging from 230 ppm to 18,000 ppm," Target producer Simon Roy told the newspaper, following tests on a girl's top, school shorts, a Spiderman T-shirt and pajamas.

"This is almost unbelievable. Some of the clothes Target tested having a reading 900 times the level that actually causes harm," he said.

Auckland mother Raewyn Rasch told the newspaper she was horrified to learn of the potential danger.

"What really annoys me is that, for mothers, kids are always coming up with scratches and marks and rashes. You ask them what they've been eating and where they've been. You wouldn't expect it to be the clothes they're wearing," she said.

She said her son's slacks, labeled 100 percent cotton, caused him a rash even after multiple washings.

Full Story

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=57245

 

[PORKER]

THis Could put Walmart Under.