China Doesn’t Cry Over Spilt Milk, But Does Start Banning Chemicals In It
The tragedy that befell Chinese families affected by milk tainted with melamine this last year is nothing to make light of, for certain, so if my title seems glib — for that I apologize. But I do have some rather good news to bring you…
China has officially banned 17 chemicals as food additives. This is the first official listing of banned substances in China, a response to the recent calamity that affected nearly a quarter of a million children as well as other concerns over public confidence in Chinese food products.
Of course, just because something is banned doesn’t mean that it will never be used again…or that something that is used today won’t be banned in the future if, god forbid, another tragic situation leads to illness or deaths.
Anthony Hazzard, a regional adviser for food safety in the World Health Organisation’s Western Pacific office, said the list could prove useful in reducing the illegal use of such chemicals, by raising awareness.
But he told AFP it was more efficient to have a list of additives that could be used in food rather than an un-ending list of ones that could not. –AFP via Seed Daily
But let’s hope that China can effectively enforce the ban.
Many of the substances banned are chemicals used in insecticides and disinfectants, for example boric acid and lye. Yeah, that lye, the stuff used to open up clogged drains in your home, super corrosive stuff that eats through anything. Chinese seafood producers use it on dried seafood to make it look fresher. It’s dried, for heaven’s sake. Nothing fresh about it.
Boric Acid is used to treat yeast infections and athlete’s foot, among other equally stomach turning uses. Mmm, yummy. I guess it also increases the elasticity in foods such as noodles and won ton skins. It is also a flame retardant, so maybe with enough of the stuff, those elastic noodles won’t burn.
Another newly banned substance is the same stuff used in embalming and preserving dead tissue, formaldehyde.
China, Chinese, milk, food, exports
