New Food Labels

[Racoon]

With the recent advent of tainted Chinese products, Americans clamor for more safety regulation..

So should the rest of the world.

 

Poll: 92 percent want 'country of origin' labels - More Health News - MSNBC.com

 

 

You can't expect slave-labor made products to be all safe and wholesome all the time now, can you??

 

I supported the FDA on previous requirements to add product quality, ingredients , macro-nutrient ratios, and info into their labels..

 

Now the concern comes from abroad.. Is your product from China tainted with poisonous effect?

 

Considering how America has dug itself into the trade-war hole, maybe some regulation might change some perspective about everything we receive thats made in China..?

Perhaps its symbolic of more thats to come??

 

I agree with the consumer outrage. China has taken far to many liberties when it comes to producing and exporting a safe and viable product.

Perhaps this might swing the pendulum in the other way...

 

Whats your opinion?

Shouldn't country of origin be labeled into the product for the consumer?

[InfiniteNow]

Is the intent that if a product were labelled "Made in China" we would not purchase it?

 

I'm somewhat confused considering just how much of everything we purchase is a Chinese export. Further, with food, some ingredients may be obtained from other countries but pulled together elsewhere.

 

So for example, I buy my molasses from the Domincan, and my chocolate from Belgium, wheat from China, and kangaroo from Australia then make my food product in Dallas (don't ask me what this food product might be, it's just an example :hihi:). What should the label say?

 

 

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with you, just seeking clarification on how this particular approach would alleviate the problem you describe of tainted ingredients making their way into the food supply.

 

 

 

Soylent green is people! :omg:

[Racoon]

Is the intent that if a product were labelled "Made in China" we would not purchase it?

 

I'm somewhat confused considering just how much of everything we purchase is a Chinese export. Further, with food, some ingredients may be obtained from other countries but pulled together elsewhere.

 

So for example, I buy my molasses from the Domincan, and my chocolate from Belgium, wheat from China, and kangaroo from Australia then make my food product in Dallas (don't ask me what this food product might be, it's just an example :hihi:). What should the label say?

 

 

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with you, just seeking clarification on how this particular approach would alleviate the problem you describe of tainted ingredients making their way into the food supply.

 

 

 

Soylent green is people! :omg:

 

 

Of course you're not agreeing nor disagreing.

Merely towing the line until you feel comfortable to assert your beliefs.

 

Its too early to tell..

But perhaps "Made in America' might bestow confidence in the consumer once again.

 

What do you think IN?

Is Made in America a bad thing?

 

Is our ridgid quality structure of quality assurance to be undermined by cheap quality/slave produced exports?

 

After all, you're the supreme humanitarian..

Why don't you attack Chinese labor practices?

[Jay-qu]

Here things labelled 'Australian made' can be grown elsewhere and only assembled here - figures..

[Monomer]

Here things labelled 'Australian made' can be grown elsewhere and only assembled here - figures..

 

 

That's true. But I think consumers should know where their food has been grown and assembled. People can then choose to buy locally and support their country, or they can opt for the imported goods.

[InfiniteNow]

But perhaps "Made in America' might bestow confidence in the consumer once again.

I agree that this might bestow confidence in some consumers. I, myself, see little reason why country of origin is indicative of a products quality or viability though...

 

Is Made in America a bad thing?

Not by default. Of course not. Howeer, it is not necessarily a good thing either.

 

Why don't you attack Chinese labor practices?

I am confident you and I can, and do, agree on this particular issue. I just don't see it as a "China only" issue.

 

Since I addressed your questions, would you be so kind as to address those I listed in my previous post, and repeated below? :omg:

 

 

 

Is the intent that if a product were labelled "Made in China" we would not purchase it?

<...>

So for example, I buy my molasses from the Domincan, and my chocolate from Belgium, wheat from China, and kangaroo from Australia then make my food product in Dallas (don't ask me what this food product might be, it's just an example :hihi:). What should the label say?

<...>

how this particular approach would alleviate the problem you describe of tainted ingredients making their way into the food supply.

[Buffy]

I personally would indeed favor stuff that was made/grown/assembled here, because I like to support the home team even if its more expensive. I'd like my family to get jobs rather than someone in China, or even Belgium (just to show its not "racist" :omg: ).

 

Even if its a choice between foreign sources, I'd choose between them based on a variety of political or economic reasons, even if it was a tough call: I think I'd prefer Russian Caviar to the Iranian kind, because Putin is ever so slightly less distasteful than Amadinejad.... :hihi:

 

Drives a Chevy,

Buffy

[Mercedes Benzene]

I think that labels should denote a country of origin.

 

I really dislike supporting China's economy, and I would make every effort (if such labels existed) to buy more American and European products over their Asian counterparts.

In other words, I agree with all of Buffy's above sentiments. :hihi:

[sanctus]

Mercedes, why you prefer european to asian products is not clear to me? Is it just for hygenic matters?

 

Also an argument in favor for made in "your country" is ecological, the transport from China to US for example is not top. This is the reason I almost only buy things from Switzerland and maybe italy and france...

 

Buffy, if you look at the words Amadinjad is by far worse I agree. But if you look at the actions Putin is the winning one (of the being worse contest). So if had to choose from where to buy a product Iran or Russia I don't really know what I would choose.

[Fatstep]

I think it'd end up being too damn tedious to look at every can or box and see where they're from, but more power to you if you're that paranoid. :phones:

[Mercedes Benzene]

Mercedes, why you prefer european to asian products is not clear to me? Is it just for hygenic matters?

 

No. In my opinion, China is becoming way too powerful for my liking. The government is becoming more powerful, but why would I want to support a "communist" nation? The people don't have the best treatment there, and from what I have heard, the quality of life is bad for many people. I see no reason in economically supporting a country who has ideals I don't believe in.

But I'll try not to get into that to much in this thread. :phones:

[sanctus]

Well, I share those ideals, but not how they apply it (the idea of comunism is great one, just wherever they ever tried it it didn't work and the results were from distästrous to less disatrous).

So I don't support the chinese government (which has never been comunism they just like to say they are in order to keep their power) as well and try not to buy anything from there for the same reason than you I guess: how people are treated and the freedom they don't have and what they are paid and...

[Cedars]

With the recent advent of tainted Chinese products, Americans clamor for more safety regulation..

So should the rest of the world.

 

Poll: 92 percent want 'country of origin' labels - More Health News - MSNBC.com

 

 

You can't expect slave-labor made products to be all safe and wholesome all the time now, can you??

 

I supported the FDA on previous requirements to add product quality, ingredients , macro-nutrient ratios, and info into their labels..

 

Now the concern comes from abroad.. Is your product from China tainted with poisonous effect?

 

Considering how America has dug itself into the trade-war hole, maybe some regulation might change some perspective about everything we receive thats made in China..?

Perhaps its symbolic of more thats to come??

 

I agree with the consumer outrage. China has taken far to many liberties when it comes to producing and exporting a safe and viable product.

Perhaps this might swing the pendulum in the other way...

 

Whats your opinion?

Shouldn't country of origin be labeled into the product for the consumer?

 

COOL (country of origin labels) have been required, its another case of laws not being enforced.

 

Labels Lack Food's Origin Despite Law - Free Preview - The New York Times

 

Its not just tainted food, its the ability of the market to pressure companies to change practices that we are being deprived of.

 

Growing up, my family participated in the tuna boycott trying to pressure the fisheries to create a more dolphin safe netting methods. Change happened because of the market pressure (and letter writting).

 

We also participated in the grape boycott (cesear chavez) wholley as an effort to improve conditions for those workers.

 

I have avoided chinese products for many years due to several experiences with bad product out of the can. Combine that with the reduction in food inspectors across the country and the risk to me (and everyone) has increased greatly.

[Qfwfq]

So should the rest of the world.

Here in Italy it has been law for some time already, a product from outside the EU must tell you which country it was produced in. It has long been considered good practice anyway, to state the country of origin in all cases.

[Turtle]

Labeling the end product is not enough, as China ships a lot of raw ingredients. the animal food poisonings resulted from melamine added to wheat gluten. but then it was added to bulk up the product so the Chinese wouldn't label that anyway. (looks like US manufacturers got up to the same shennanigans.:) ) Melamine Spiking of Food Goes Back Decades in US and China | Itchmo

 

With little regulation and less(than in the US) enforcement in China, manufacturers are adding whatever they can in the way of waste/toxins to their products to make more money. Lead is going into toy pendants and paint on toys coming from China for example. (US has had numerous recalls on lead contaminated toys in the last couple years.)

 

China's most recent answer to these problems was to execute a top official for looking the other way and taking bribes from a drug company making fake/substandard drugs. >> http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/11/business/worldbusiness/11execute.html

 

So just buying a product labeled according to country of manufacture, does not insure all the ingredients come from safe and/or preferred countries of origin. We are damned if we do, and damned if we don't. Time to bring back the Victory Garden. :lol: :umno:

[Cedars]

So just buying a product labeled according to country of manufacture, does not insure all the ingredients come from safe and/or preferred countries of origin. We are damned if we do, and damned if we don't. Time to bring back the Victory Garden. :o

 

You make a valid point.

 

There are some reports coming out that this has been going on for 15 years (additives that have been harming consumers).

 

I experienced an incident with a pet food product 10+ years ago. A dog was put on a prescription diet due to urinary problems. I saw things going on with the dog that alarmed me. Coat changes, clouding of eyes and other problems. I brought it up to my vet, who spewed out the party line of what a good product it was, as he hinted I wasnt educated enough to make such decisions.

 

I took the dog off the product against his advice and watched the symptoms disapear.

 

Anyways, next trip in a few months later he apologized to me, saying others had reported similar problems with that same food. I thought he was a pretty good guy for saying that to me. He also said he had relayed this information to others (though I cant remember who he said he had spoken to).

 

Of course now I wonder if this incident is related to what occured with the recent pet food problems. I wish I could remember what the exact name of that pet food was to see if it was one that was recalled.

 

I am all for bringing down the population, but I was thinking more along the lines of not reproducing so fast, rather than killing us off with toothpaste and cough syrup.

:shrug:

[Cedars]

I had forgotten about this case:

 

"One frequently cited case involves the intravenous antibiotic gentamicin, which was supplied by a company in China and linked to deaths in the United States in the late 1990s. Tests by German researchers found a wide range in quality and effectiveness in what were supposed to be uniform dosages of the drug, leading the scientists to write that "it was assumed" the deaths "were related to faulty manufacture."

 

I have a feeling there have been more contaminations (and maybe deaths) due to the quest for profit.

 

"That was the case at Able Laboratories, a once highflying New Jersey maker of generic drugs with close ties to India. It went bankrupt two years ago. FDA inspectors found that some of its quality-control data had been falsified, leading to one of largest drug recalls in FDA history. This year, four Able employees pleaded guilty to criminal charges of fraud."

 

FDA Scrutiny Scant In India, China as Drugs Pour Into U.S. - washingtonpost.com