“Organic” Food From China Found To Be Highly Contaminated
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Food imported from China and labelled “organic” is anything but.
With more and more people learning about the importance
of eating healthy and safe produce, consumer demand for all things
“organic” has skyrocketed. In the US alone, annual organic food sales have grown by 20%
and the increased demand is significantly outpacing domestic supplies,
forcing many grocers and food vendors to look internationally to keep
their businesses stocked. Most of these organic imports are grown in the
European Union, where organic standards are weaker than those of the
US. However, many of these “organic” products are from China, whose food
industry standards for safety and quality are notoriously low.
Much of this “organic” produce grown in China is so unsafe, that the
farmers who grow it won’t eat it themselves. Isn’t that the whole point
of choosing organic in the first place?
It turns out that much of the food labelled “organic”
was never grown with the intention of being organic, but rather as a
means to circumvent China’s reputation for substandard produce. US
Customs personnel often reject entire shipments
of food from China due to the addition of dangerous and unsavory
additives, the presence of drug residues, mislabeling, or the poor
hygienic state of the food. In an effort to get around these bulk
rejections of food, some Chinese food exporters have taken to labeling
their products “organic,” especially those foods that appear dirty or
unusual. In addition, the “organic” label in China has no meaning as
collusion between the government and manufacturers has led to rampant mislabeling, and China’s government has no established system for determining what is or is not organic.
Dead fish being removed after a fertilizer factory dumped huge amounts of ammonia into the Fu river Credit – NYT
Even if “organically grown” food from China was in fact
that, the quality of the water used in the production of food intended
for export is so contaminated that a person could fall ill just by
handling it. Much of China’s industrial-scale agriculture is found along
the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, both of which are extremely polluted.
This is because thousands upon thousands of Chinese factories also line
these same rivers, adding their chemical waste to the same water used to
irrigate the country’s food supply. In one such recent case, a chemical
fertilizer plant dumped such excessive amounts
of ammonia into the Fu river, a tributary of the Yangtze river, that an
estimated 110 tons of dead fish had to be removed. However, the
ammonia-laden river continued to be used for industrial and agricultural
use.
Other chemicals and heavy metals have been found in very
high and unsafe amounts in these rivers, as well as, not surprisingly,
the food produced with that water. Perchlorate, a precursor to rocket
fuel, has been found
in China’s sewage as well as its rice, bottled drinking water, and
milk. It is throughout the entire water supply and contaminate any
would-be organic produce. Perchlorate is an endocrine-disruptor and is
also toxic. It can cause improper regulation of the metabolism, thyroid
problems, as well as developmental problems in children and infants.
Does that sound healthy and organic? Obviously not. Luckily, some of
China’s “organic” products are more likely to be contaminated than
others. Fish, chicken, apples, rice, mushrooms, green peas, black
pepper, and garlic were found to be
the most contaminated foods from China and are to be avoided. As
always, the only way to be completely sure that your food is free of
chemicals and additives is to grow it yourself. Vegetable gardens can
fit in even the smallest of spaces, are attractive, help local insects
(including bees), and can provide you and your family with delicious
food that is completely safe.
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