Think wheat gluten's the only thing we have to worry about? Think again.

[LiberalHeart]

As a frequent consumer of foods imported from China, my first thought after reading this report is that it's a miracle I'm still alive. I've long been aware that recalled (non-food) products are all too often imports from China, but I never made the connection that I should question the food items I've been buying -- till the wheat gluten story hit the news, that is. And now this persuades me to change my grocery shopping habits:

http://newsgrinder.blogspot.com/2007/04/think-wheat-glutens-only-thing-we-have.html

[lligrd]

1. I'm Not Even Sure China Is The Real Culprit

I won't believe this administration puts out. Let the real investigations begin.

[LiberalHeart]

2. Do you mean you don't believe China was the source of the pet food contamination?

[lligrd]

3. They Have Denied It

and I sure question the slowness of the investigation not to mention the integrity of our government at the present time. Somethings rotten in the state of Washington DC.

[nicknameless]

4. I agree with both you and lligrd.

I don't trust this administration at all.
But the goods we're importing from China have been rejected at an alarming rate, due to contamination of one kind or another.
And those are just the goods we've caught. How much toxic garbage made it onto the market undetected?
That AP story really is hair-raising.

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070413/D8OFI2A00.html

[lligrd]

5. I Agree With Both of Us Too And You

And I would be scared to death but the Bush administration has immunized me to fright. I now figure that if we die it is because we deserved it for allowing this administration to do what they have done. Still trying to figure out how the animals deserve it though. I'll get back to you on that one. lol

[LiberalHeart]

6. And I agree with ALL of us :) But....

...not about being immune to fright. For a long time I was immnune to hope, but that's turning around since the last election.

When I was a kid, I thought the adults around me were akin to god. They seemed so sure of themselves, I figured they knew all, and could do all. Even after growing up and finding myself in the adult role, and realizing how uncertain, how floundering I was, I still put significant trust in the agencies set up to keep us safe. Then about 25 years ago I had an eye-opening experience with the EPA regarding toxic waste and it's been all down hill from there. During that environmental battle, Hugh Kaufman, the EPA whistleblower who exposed the Superfund fiasco, told the EPA was not set up to tell businesses they couldn't pollute. It was set up to tell them how much they could pollute -- to permit pollution. I remember that when I read stuff about other agencies and their rules -- like how many insects an average frozen pizza is allowed to contain.

Ever since then, I've looked with a doubting eye on agencies that "protect" us. I just hadn't stopped to think before that with Chinese imports, we have a lack of regulations and oversight in the exporting country before stuff even reaches us, then we have our own inept inspection system. If we can't keep poisoned products off our shelves,if we have officials who just shrug and say the problem's too big, too difficult to handle, how can we expect protection from ANYTHING that's heading toward us? It really, really bugs me that we are doing a terrible job with inspections in our ports. We're so busy fighting a a pointless war, we're too busy to protect Americans from what's real.

[KillCapitalism]

7. Why do we import so much food from China?

Don't we grow our own or what? Also, with their huge population, don't they need their food to feed their own people?

[earth mom]

8. As was posted upthread, the EPA isn't "protecting" us-it's protecting big business.

And the FDA isn't looking out for any of us either. Until we get the cancer that it is business out of the government, we are all so very vulnerable and so very screwed. :grr:

[LiberalHeart]

9. "So Very Screwed" ... I want a T-shirt that says that.

It could be white letting on an American flag made to look like the letters were cut out of the fabric.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

10. So we should be afraid of things from China?

Isn't that just a bit General Ripperish?

[Oilwellian]

11. Google is your friend

Just Google "China, dangerous products"...happy reading.