Real Food Poisoning

Posted 10:56am Wed Sep 2nd, 2009 by beijingkids
  • 831 reads

Greenpeace China has released some disturbing news about pesticide use in China:

"Pesticides have been linked to cancer and fertility problems as well as other frightening long-term health effects. And China uses a lot of pesticides. Last month, Greenpeace China sent 45 samples of fruits and vegetables to an independent laboratory to find out how serious the problem was. The results are very scary."

40 of 45 samples tested contained pesticide residue and 50 different kinds of pesticides were discovered in the various fruits and vegetables used in the experiment. Some even contained multiple types of pesticides and the problem is so widespread even big nationwide supermarket chains like Walmart, Lotus and Vanguard were found to be selling foods containing the poisons. Even more upsetting is the fact that washing alone will not rid fruits and vegetables of some of these pesticides.

Unfortunately there seems to be no viable alternative or immediate solution to this problem at present. Even Greenpeace admits that buying organic here in China is not much of an option given how expensive “green” foods are here (your correspondent, for example, once spotted four “organic tomatoes” on sales at Walmart – ironically enough – for the very ridiculous price of RMB 28), not to mention the dubious nature of much of these claims.

Still, if you want to play it safe, Greenpeace has a list of Beijing organic food producers here. In the meantime, and for what it's worth, keep washing those greens.

More links below:

http://www.beijing-kids.com/directory/Beijing-Organic-Consumers-Associat...

http://www.thebeijinger.com/classifieds/2009/08/20/Organic-Produce-Co-op

http://www.thebeijinger.com/forum/2007/07/16/Restaurants-that-use-organi...

http://www.thebeijinger.com/forum/2009/08/27/any-reliable-organic-food-s...

http://www.beijing-kids.com/directory/Lohao-City

http://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2009/02/09/Mrs-Shanen-on-Frankenfood-an...

http://www.beijing-kids.com/magazine/2009/04/13/Spot-the-Organic

http://www.beijing-kids.com/magazine/2008/08/23/Eating-Smart
 

Re: Real Food Poisoning

rstcyrmd
rstcyrmd's picture
At 2:31pm Wed Sep 2nd, 2009 rstcyrmd said:

I was also very disturbed by that Greenpeace article (which, by the way, was publicized back in April). It does confirm what we already know about the overuse of chemicals on most Chinese farms. I always tell my patients to peel anything that can be peeled, even grapes! (Chinese do that automatically already). And I did decide after that Greenpeace article to buy organic as often as possible.

I think that Veggie Wash from Lohao and other stores is good, it's natural citrus-based and does help remove chemicals. But again, it's still probably better to peel anyway. But it does help to soak veggies and leafy greens in the Veggie Wash, that at least would help to kill bacteria.

I have a few posts on my website about organics that include links to resources and tips for healthy eating.

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Richard Saint Cyr MD

Health blog: MyHealthBeijing.com
Family medicine physician - United Family Hospitals