Food safety in the news
Yomiuri Shimbun notes in an editorial about product safety problems in China that Japan showed the way:
Five years ago, a scandal erupted in Japan over Chinese-made spinach that was found to contain illegally high levels of residual agricultural chemicals. In response, the Japanese government introduced a system to strictly prohibit the sale of agricultural and other products that contain amounts of residual agricultural chemicals and additives exceeding allowable levels.
When Japan introduced the system, which was dubbed the strictest in the world at the time, China strongly objected. After the system was put into force, however, it worked better than expected. In addition to preventing inflows of dangerous food products into Japan, it produced a secondary effect within China: In places where agricultural commodities are produced for export to Japan, producers began paying much more attention to food safety.
This time, the Chinese government initially lashed out at foreign media for "exaggerating" the food safety problem. However, as criticism of China grew internationally, it shifted its stance, pledging to reinforce safety administration at every level, from production to distribution.
Meanwhile, BBC reported that Chinese authorities have investigated imported foods from the United States, and found a number of problems. China suspended imports from several key US meat suppliers such as Tyson Foods, Cargill Meat Solutions, AJC International and Triumph Foods. Officials said they had found salmonella and growth-enhancers in several imported US chicken products.
Five years ago, a scandal erupted in Japan over Chinese-made spinach that was found to contain illegally high levels of residual agricultural chemicals. In response, the Japanese government introduced a system to strictly prohibit the sale of agricultural and other products that contain amounts of residual agricultural chemicals and additives exceeding allowable levels.
When Japan introduced the system, which was dubbed the strictest in the world at the time, China strongly objected. After the system was put into force, however, it worked better than expected. In addition to preventing inflows of dangerous food products into Japan, it produced a secondary effect within China: In places where agricultural commodities are produced for export to Japan, producers began paying much more attention to food safety.
This time, the Chinese government initially lashed out at foreign media for "exaggerating" the food safety problem. However, as criticism of China grew internationally, it shifted its stance, pledging to reinforce safety administration at every level, from production to distribution.
Meanwhile, BBC reported that Chinese authorities have investigated imported foods from the United States, and found a number of problems. China suspended imports from several key US meat suppliers such as Tyson Foods, Cargill Meat Solutions, AJC International and Triumph Foods. Officials said they had found salmonella and growth-enhancers in several imported US chicken products.
Comments
Not to mention the "toothpaste" incident a while back... but that's not restricted to Japan though. and did you read about the cardboard box manju??
Perhaps it can only get better now...?
;^)