SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL – Infamous food mishaps from China
Melamine in milk:
In 2007 and 2008, six infants in China died and 300,000 were sickened after consuming formula laced with melamine, an industrial chemical that made milk appear to have a higher
protein content in tests commonly used at the time, leading to higher prices in the market. In the U.S., melamine-tainted wheat gluten and rice protein imported from China and used to make pet food caused 17,000 pet illnesses, including 4,000 dog and cat deaths in 2007. Melamine-tainted dairy products were subsequently detected in candy, hot cocoa, and flavored drinks worldwide. Melamine has been detected in dog food products from China as recently as January.
Hydrolyzed leather milk:
In February, press reports warned that some Chinese dairy producers had switched from using melamine to adding hydrolyzed leather protein made from scraps of animal skin to falsely boost the apparent protein content of milk.
Clenbuterol in pork:
In early 2011, hundreds of people were sickened and hospitalized in China after eating pork products containing clenbuterol, a steroid fed to pigs to make them leaner, ensuring farmers higher prices at market. Clenbuterol can cause dizziness, heart palpitations, diarrhea, and profuse sweating in humans.
Gutter oil:
Chinese media outlets claim that up to 100 tons of illegal and used cooking oil is reprocessed and put back into the food chain daily. This so-called “gutter” or “swill” oil comes from waste animal fat or from previously used cooking oil, which can contain aflatoxin, a known carcinogen. The oil is reportedly scavenged from drains beneath restaurants and blended and bleached in large-scale facilities to be resold to retail outlets and food processors.
Glow-in-the-dark pork:
In March, photographs surfaced showing raw pork glowing iridescent blue in the dark. Health officials said the meat had been contaminated by phosphorescent bacteria but was safe to eat if well cooked. Consumers remained skeptical.
Exploding watermelons:
Some farmers in eastern China mistakenly applied forchlorfenuron, a plant growth accelerator, to watermelons too late in the season and during wet conditions, causing the melons to explode like “land mines,” according to press reports released in May. The exploded melons were fed to fish and pigs.
Other scandals:
An estimated 10% of Chinese-grown rice is contaminated with toxic heavy metals from industrial pollution, including cadmium. Arsenic has been found in soy sauce; borax in pork; bleach in mushrooms; dyes in steamed buns; ink and paraffin in noodles; and sodium nitrite, urea, and antibiotics in bean sprouts.
ACCESS THE FULL VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE
To view this article and gain unlimited access to premium content on the FQ&S website, register for your FREE account. Build your profile and create a personalized experience today! Sign up is easy!
GET STARTED
Already have an account? LOGIN