topic Re: Food from China in Kitchen

Food from China

nomar — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 03:31:35 GMT

I know someone will make a comment about buying fresh food to avoid this problem. But, I did buy some fresh garlic bulbs yesterday, got them home and saw then they came from CHINA. I read labels on canned goods trying to avoid food from China and now it seems the manufacturers are not putting the origin of where food comes from, only that it is "distributed by------(fill in the blank) which does not tell where the food comes from. It is getting very discouraging trying to buy anything that does not come from CHINA.

Re: Food from China

Sunshine Kate — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 03:48:21 GMT

I have noticed this also. It's not on everything, but I'm seeing it more and more. I won't eat food from China.

I bought some fresh frozen raspberries and blueberries the other day from a discount club. When I got home the bag stated; product of China and Siberia. (I just didn't notice it at first).

Instead of discarding it, I returned it for a refund. One of these days things will change.

Re: Food from China

HonnyBrown — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 04:08:51 GMT

nomar, I volunteer for my local farmers' market. Over the summer, they had a challenge to eat local. Finding it odd, I started paying close attention to where my food comes from.

I was amazed at how many fresh meats are from China! Smithfield, a local pork producer, was bought by a Chinese company. The bakery close to me is Chinese owned. On and on and on.

A coworker recently mentioned that a major bank was bought by a Chinese bank.

I wonder what's going on?

Re: Food from China

suzyQ3 — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 19:57:16 GMT

On 12/11/2014 HonnyBrown said:
nomar, I volunteer for my local farmers' market. Over the summer, they had a challenge to eat local. Finding it odd, I started paying close attention to where my food comes from.

I was amazed at how many fresh meats are from China! Smithfield, a local pork producer, was bought by a Chinese company. The bakery close to me is Chinese owned. On and on and on.

A coworker recently mentioned that a major bank was bought by a Chinese bank.

I wonder what's going on?

While I won't intentionally seek out fresh produce from China, I have no problem with some some grocery staples used in Asian recipes that I've bought for years that come from China.

And living near a huge metropolitan area, I am very used to and have no problem with bakeries or restaurants or anything else being owned by the Chinese or any other foreign nationality. I like the diversity it offers.

The Chinese have their economic woes, to be sure, but they have been successful in the past couple decades in terms of foreign investments. I'm not sure why we necessarily fault them for that.

Re: Food from China

HonnyBrown — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 20:41:26 GMT

Hi SuzyQ!

I didn't say anyone is at fault; I said I wonder what's going on...big difference!

Re: Food from China

scotnovel — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 20:52:23 GMT

On 12/11/2014 HonnyBrown said:
nomar, I volunteer for my local farmers' market. Over the summer, they had a challenge to eat local. Finding it odd, I started paying close attention to where my food comes from.

I was amazed at how many fresh meats are from China! Smithfield, a local pork producer, was bought by a Chinese company. The bakery close to me is Chinese owned. On and on and on.

A coworker recently mentioned that a major bank was bought by a Chinese bank.

I wonder what's going on?

I'm wondering how you define food from China. I don't know the facts in your case, but, having a bakery that is Chinese owned does not mean their food comes from China. It is quite possible the bakery food is made locally rather than imported from China. Also the Chinese person who owns that bakery may well be an American citizen.

Re: Food from China

depglass — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 20:58:00 GMT

Our markets were deluged with canned good from China two years ago. Now days, hardly any. Evidently people stopped buying and the store buyers heeded the message.

Re: Food from China

Sooner — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 21:44:53 GMT

I won't eat anything I know is made, manufactured or produced in China. HOWEVER, if Chinese people are doing business in this country and abiding by the FDA, I have absolutely no problems with that and have eaten in Asian restaurants a lot.

Re: Food from China

Chrystaltree2 — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 21:47:54 GMT

On 12/11/2014 HonnyBrown said:
nomar, I volunteer for my local farmers' market. Over the summer, they had a challenge to eat local. Finding it odd, I started paying close attention to where my food comes from.

I was amazed at how many fresh meats are from China! Smithfield, a local pork producer, was bought by a Chinese company. The bakery close to me is Chinese owned. On and on and on.

A coworker recently mentioned that a major bank was bought by a Chinese bank.

I wonder what's going on?

China has a booming economy, the number of millionaires there is growing in leaps and bounds and they need to invest there money somewhere.

Re: Food from China

suzyQ3 — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 21:53:06 GMT

On 12/12/2014 HonnyBrown said:
Hi SuzyQ!

I didn't say anyone is at fault; I said I wonder what's going on...big difference!

I guess I've read enough posts decrying Chinese investments here and elsewhere that I naturally infer the same from wondering what's going on.

Re: Food from China

suzyQ3 — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 21:57:30 GMT

On 12/12/2014 Sooner said:
I won't eat anything I know is made, manufactured or produced in China. HOWEVER, if Chinese people are doing business in this country and abiding by the FDA, I have absolutely no problems with that and have eaten in Asian restaurants a lot.

Then it would be impossible for you to cook most Chinese or other Asian dishes. Also, when you eat in those Asian restaurants, you are undoubtedly eating some canned, jarred, or bottled food produced in China.

Re: Food from China

Sooner — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 22:57:59 GMT

On 12/12/2014 suzyQ3 said:
On 12/12/2014 Sooner said:
I won't eat anything I know is made, manufactured or produced in China. HOWEVER, if Chinese people are doing business in this country and abiding by the FDA, I have absolutely no problems with that and have eaten in Asian restaurants a lot.

Then it would be impossible for you to cook most Chinese or other Asian dishes. Also, when you eat in those Asian restaurants, you are undoubtedly eating some canned, jarred, or bottled food produced in China.

Well, you can pick anything to pieces in this world if you enjoy doing that. I cook a LOT of Asian stir frys and dishes and with fresh USA grown veggies that are organic when I get them. Yes, I'm sure most people get some Chinese food out not knowing. I seldom order seafood (away from the coast at local places) because I expect it is cheap Asian seafood.

Like a lot of people I do what I can within reason but don't hide in the house or never eat in a restaurant, etc.

Re: Food from China

NoelSeven — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 23:04:49 GMT

On 12/11/2014 HonnyBrown said:
nomar, I volunteer for my local farmers' market. Over the summer, they had a challenge to eat local. Finding it odd, I started paying close attention to where my food comes from.

I was amazed at how many fresh meats are from China! Smithfield, a local pork producer, was bought by a Chinese company. The bakery close to me is Chinese owned. On and on and on.

A coworker recently mentioned that a major bank was bought by a Chinese bank.

I wonder what's going on?

It's been going on for years

Re: Food from China

NoelSeven — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 23:15:31 GMT

We're lucky living in my area. There's a large Asian population here, Chinese came to CA before the Gold Rush to build the railroads and Japanese Americans have been here well before WW2.

There are many local Asian and Latino farmers in the area that have been growing herbs and vegetables for decades for Asian food. The local farmer's markets carry it all fresh and in abundance.

Re: Food from China

Campion — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 01:07:08 GMT

I hate buying the Chinese garlic because by the time it gets to us, it's moldy and dried out. I barely get half a bulb used, and it's ruined. We grow GREAT garlic in the US, but you can't find it. I checked even our local huge farm stand and they only are carrying the Chinese garlic. I resent buying stale, moldy garlic.

Re: Food from China

songbird — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 01:11:47 GMT

We sell food overseas all the time. That and tobacco. Billions of people in Asia and most of them smoke. Millions of dollars are produced by the U.S. selling stuff overseas.

Re: Food from China

sfnative — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 01:28:57 GMT

I do not purchase nor consume, to my knowledge, food made/grown in China and here's the reason.

The U.S. Customs requires that a certain portion of each shipment of food stuffs entering the U.S. to undergo evaluation. To that end, I have a friend who is a "filth inspector" of food stuffs shipped to the U.S. from Asian countries, 90% of which originate from China.

She is given petri dishes that have been plated with a gel substance and some of the food, greatly diluted, from a specific batch. Her job is to inspect each petri dish under a microscope. The petri dish is grided. She has to look for insects, insect parts, rodent hairs and other suspected animal ephemera.

I asked her once how this has affected her and her family, if at all. She said she would never ever purchase anything from China or an Asian country, having seen what she's seen. I asked her about a common item like soy sauce and she said to always buy Kikkoman, because it's made in the U.S. Asked her about the worst item she ever saw under microscope and she said it was shark fins imported from China for prized Shark Fin Soup. She said they were extremely contaminated. (I don't believe shark fins are allowed in any longer.)

Ever since then I read labels ever more so than I used to.

Re: Food from China

Mominohio — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 01:42:33 GMT

I try to read all labels on food, and there are still many, whether fresh or frozen or canned or boxed, that don't really state the country of origin for the foods. If possible, I pass those up and choose something else.

If they say from China, I pass those up even quicker.

Re: Food from China

Q4u — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 01:42:38 GMT

What bothers me is buying meat grown, butchered and packaged in Mexico. Some products now say "from either USA, Canada or Mexico". I will only buy USA meats and am careful to find them. I try to do the same with fruits and vegetables as well.

Re: Food from China

chessylady — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 02:28:00 GMT

Like other things in our country,oversight and inspection is almost nonexistent and it is up to us to protect ourselves. Food from China is not subject to the same standards found in America even though our standards may also be low. If you choose food based on the lowest price, you may be shortchanging your health. Top Ramen noodles are cheap but they have been found to be harmful in several respects. Thanks to the Internet we can research many food stuffs. You can change you and your family's diet for the better.