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I was recently stunned by some disturbing news
about the "Hostess Twinkie" snack cake. It turns
out that the deliciously sweet and tasty staple
of the baby boomer generation is no longer All-
American. "Can you believe that?" It turns out
that along with many other non-traceable imported
additives, it now contains a really wholesome
sounding ingredient called thiamine mononitrate -
a product that comes from petroleum. Chinese
petroleum to be precise. Produced in Chinese
refineries and repackaged in Chinese factories. "
Is anything sacred anymore? Do you think we
could get an RDA from the FDA on that important
non-nutrient?"
As it turns out, my ignorance of such matters in
all likelihood parallels that of the typical
American consumer. It seems we've simply been ?
asleep at the wheel?. While most of us have been
snoozing, the Chinese have gradually chipped away
at the world's industrial and manufacturing
markets gaining an ever-increasing share of
production and profits. Ingenuity, quicker
product delivery and lower prices have all
contributed to their remarkable growth. Now, I'm
certain it's been a win-win situation in many
markets, but I can't help expressing concern when
price and production capacity begin to compromise
or threaten food safety and consumer health.
The recent and tragic events surrounding the
contamination of pet food was a much-needed wake-
up call for most Americans. It exposed the
startling reality of a food system at risk and a
bureaucratic infrastructure that's ill equipped
to provide the necessary checks and balances for
food safety and quality assurance. In the
current state of poorly regulated and inspected
food additives and products, we can be assured
that the more we outsource, the less control we
have over quality or safety.
A recent headline remarked, "if you pop a vitamin
C tablet in your mouth, it's a good bet it came
from China". Not surprisingly, many of the world?
s vitamins are indeed now manufactured in China.
Statistics also show that during the past ten
years, China has captured an estimated 90 percent
of the U.S. market for vitamin C. Additionally,
it supplies America with the bulk of its vitamins
A, B12 and E, while quietly driving nearly
everyone else out of business.
Chinese pharmaceutical companies have also taken
over much of the world market in the production
of antibiotics, analgesics, enzymes and primary
amino acids. According to industry estimates,
China makes about 70 of its aspirin and 35% of its
acetaminophen (Tylenol).
Fortunately for everyone, most of China's
industry is highly skilled, self-regulating and
consistently producing high quality products.
However, the lower tiers of Chinese industry are
quite a different story. Many factories are
dirty with older machinery and have no system for
regulating sanitation or quality. Inspectors
have little interest in public health or safety
since many either work for the same company they?
re inspecting or they're employed by the city
governments which are in fact, part owners of the
companies they're allegedly "regulating".
The big problem for consumers, who may wish to
avoid certain products from sources known to be
risky is that, at present, U.S. laws don't
require food and drug sellers to label products
with the country of origin of ingredients, which
makes it impossible for consumers to know where
food or supplements are coming from, not to
mention which factory produced them. I think it?
s fair to say that proper nutrition and food
safety is difficult enough for us consumers when
the system is working properly. What makes it
easy for the bad guys is that we Americans tend
to take an awful lot for granted by assuming that
everyone is doing their job properly to protect
us. But, how can we expect quality control when
so few distributors and manufacturers know the
true source of their ingredient.
While it may be a little too late for the "
Twinkie" we can only hope that our members of
Congress will finally take the necessary action
to put proper controls in place that will ensure
the safety and security of our vulnerable food
supply.
Copyright 2007 Harry Monell. All rights reserved.
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