Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

Parasites Found in Chinese Kimchi
Quarantine officials have discovered parasites in some Chinese-made kimchi products, renewing public concerns about the safety of food imports. The Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) announced Friday. It said the eggs were from intestinal worms, hookworms and hairworms. "Chinese farmers often use human excrement as fertilizers when growing cabbages for their kimchi products. There is a possibility that the parasites could invade into the cabbages through that channel," said a KFDA official.
By Kim Tong-hyung, Korea Times (October 21, 2005)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200510/kt2005102117424310220.htm

[captain kirk]

Man, I heard from a pharmacist Koreans deworm themselves twice a year. The tabs are 500 won. Any pharmacist.

[matthews_world]

Anyone know the name of the drug the PP is talking about?

[matthews_world]

I hope this thread can amount to something. Here's some news from a week and a half ago.

[cruisemonkey]

If kimchi cures everything from hangnails to cancer (and makes Korean women better golfers), why does it not kill the parasites?

[blunder1983]

Because its cured them of any invulnerability leading to superbugs. Soon they will grow and the world will burn. Aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[mindmetoo]

All commodity type food products have contamination, no matter what it is. Rat turds, rat hair, insects, mold, etc. Governments set limits on how much can be present before it's declared unfit for human consumption. I'm sure if you tested domestic kimchi you'd find another kind of horrific contamination. The question is do the parasites exceed what's judged unfit for human consumption? Back when Japan had to open its rice markets to US rice, they made a big stink about finding a rat in a shipload of rice. It's gross but I'm sure Japanese warehouses have many more rats living with the rice.

Anyway, makes good headlines in a nation where their national dish is being mass produced cheaply by the Chinese. (Although I read that most of the factories are Korean owned.)

[Real Reality]

Parasite Eggs Found in Chinese Kimchi
Health officials have again discovered parasite eggs in some Chinese-made kimchi products, escalating public concerns about the health risks of food imports.... "Chinese farmers often use human excrement as fertilizers when growing cabbages for kimchi. There is a possibility that the parasites could invade the cabbages through that channel," a KFDA official said.
By Kim Cheong-won, Korea Times (October 27, 2005)
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200510/kt2005102717134410220.htm

Food Safety Fears Increasing
The Busan branch of the National Marine Products Quarantine Agency has eight times more cases to test than it did in 1996 but, the number of inspectors has fallen from 53 to 44.

Since its establishment in September 2004, the Pyeongtaek Test Agency for Imported Food (PTAIF), which has four staff members, is being operated as a temporary organization, not as formal one. In addition, the test standards used by the office of inspection's efforts are often an example of "too little, too late," making early detection of tainted imports almost impossible.
by Hee-Kyung Kim and Eun-Woo Lee, Donga.com (October 27, 2005)
http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?biid=2005102733758

[captain kirk]

It's called All One. It's one big (400mg) tablet in a small box. Take one, then another one a week later. Koreans do this twice a year. The box is white. There's an orange/yellow suburst sort of graphic on the front. With the tablet the radiant sun. Supposedly nuking worms.

[OCOKA Dude]

[Real Reality]

Korean Kimchi in Parasite Shock
The Korea Food and Drug Administration on Thursday confirmed Chinese claims that some Korean-made kimchi are infested with parasites. Mostly made by small manufacturers, the brands have been sold in department stores, hotels and via home shopping channels, and also exported to Japan.
Chosun Ilbo (November 3, 2005)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200511/200511030011.html

[Swiss James]

do any foreigners ever bother taking the tablet? I'm tempted whenever I hear people mention it, but then since I've never heard of anyone actually getting a worm it hardly seems worth it.

[pet lover]

How would one know if one needed to be dewormed??

[JongnoGuru]

[pet lover]

I never eat kimchi, but parasites exist elsewhere, don't they? Seriously, how would I know if I had a worm? *shudder*