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[davidrwest2005]

Last year there was a big milk scare and recall after it was reported that melamine was found in baby formula and milk. I have grown cynical and believe, only believe, that the scandal became a big deal requiring government only action because the scandal affected children--a society's most cherished population.

I am wondering of anyone has information about foods in China that also might be avoided or scrutinized before eating.

It is common knowledge that hard alcohol is suspect. I'm told that least one bottle per case is tainted. What chemicals are added to make it fake?

Or is the food scare more hype than substance?

[englishmaster]

China's a pretty filthy country overall, and you should be leery of everything. I remember once finding a load of worms in some greens I was stir frying.

All of the alcohol is suspect, especially the beer. I heard when I was there that they put a baijiu extract in the beer, which is why people who drink a lot of it have such terrible hangovers. I remember a few bad hangovers after drinking more than one bottle of Chinese beer that were certainly caused by something.

I don't know if the wine there is tainted or not, but I would figure that some of it is.

A lot of food is left to lie on the shelves until it rots: once I bought a chocolate bar in Shanghai and found it had cobwebs and spider eggs in it after I took off the wrapper.

Inspect everything as carefully as you can, that's my advice!

[davidrwest2005]

Thanks English Master...I think. The experience you shared is pretty disgusting. I'm just curious if you are still in China and if you are not, were food safety issues a determining factor is your decision to leave?

I was told that the beer was pretty safe. So now I don't know what to think. People don't mix beer with things and so it would be hard to mask a strange taste. But having had come up during the 1990s, I am accustomed to micro-brews. The Chinese beer is not really enjoyable. Since most people mix liquor in sweet red tea or green tea, the abnormal flavors can be masked.

The link below answered my own question. Very close to where I live, 4 people died after drinking bai jiu that was tainted with "larger than normal amount of methanol." Is there such thing as a normal amount of methanol in one's drink? Bai Jiu is made from sorghum which is a fallow grass that is now being tested as a future bio-fuel. For those who have had bai jiu, they might agree that drinking it might be what drinking petrol is like.


http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/25/content_11068921.htm

[celtica]

There is also'some concern' with the amount of lead found in vegetables and fruit from China... in particular around Beijing.

/www.cababstractsplus.org/abstracts/Abstract.aspx?AcNo=20073106927

[Tainan]

I lived in China for two years--from Sept 2003 until Sept 2005. I never had any problem with food there except some very mild food poisoning once at a street stall--nothing worse than stuff I've experienced in the U.S. as well. I travelled around the country, ate everywhere from street stands to five-star hotels, and never had a problem.

Of course I cannot say that there was no contamination of the sort that might cause only long-term damage--but I cannot say that about any other industrialized part of the world either.

If you bought the greens at a market, why are you surprised that there were worms in them? Only in very expensive markets do they sell greens pre-washed. Most of the time the assumption is that we wash them before we eat them. That there were worms proves that the greens came from the earth, not from a factory. Traditional people all over the world are careful about this--and with certain things where insects can hide deep within--brussels sprouts for example--there are traditional methods, such as soaking them in water with vinegar for ten minutes--to get them out.

On the other hand, industrial processed foods and drinks, including any alcohol that is not from a very good name, is something I would be cautious about indeed.

[roadwalker]

I agree with Tainan. I also have lived in China for a few years and haven't been poisoned. Or at least can't report anything that I haven't experienced elsewhere, including the US. Go grab a burger and watch or read "Fast Food Nation".

Yes they do have problems in China. The Chinese students and teachers, with their skepticism, have been great resources in terms of food advice, and in particular what to avoid. I wash my produce and almost always cook the veggies. I follow the Chinese lead by peeling all fruit. I wouldn't eat a fresh salad unless I knew for sure the fresh veggies were soaked in a bleach solution for a while. On the other hand the produce is usually very good. There are close to 1.4 Billion Chinese now. They must be doing something right.