Vigilantes for safe food
Updated: 2015-04-08 07:33
By Xing Yi(China Daily)
|
|||||||||
China's Compiled Food Safety Incidents includes many scandals in the food industry. Photo provided to China Daily |
Then they visited farms, wholesale markets, supermarkets and random food vendors in nine provinces, and compared China's food safety standards with those of the US and European Union.
"We found there isn't a big gap in standards, but the biggest problem in China lies in enforcement," says Chen Qiaoling.
"For example, the first Sudan Red (an industrial dye barred from being used in food in China) scandal happened 10 years ago. But when I searched online, there are still reports of similar scandals in the years after."
During their investigation, she says, they told some of their interviewees that they were working on a dissertation and wanted to know more about the industry.
That way, they learned many "open secrets" of China's food industry.
For example, some small hotpot restaurants add opium poppy pods to broths to enhance flavor. The prohibited spice can be bought online.
"Many restaurant bosses told me that, in their trade, if you act honestly, you lose customers because your prices are too high," says Chen.
Today, there are some 20 volunteers in the team that Chen Qiaoling leads, writing reports and operating the online platform.
She believes that, besides governments ensuring stricter enforcement, the public should not remain indifferent toward the issue.
"Food safety is a social issue. The government, businesses and the public should all share the responsibility of solving problems," she says.
Related:
Smuggled beef scandal reveals supervision loophole
China vows zero tolerance for GM rice
- China, Vietnam work to build ties
- Louis Vuitton Series 2: Past, Present, and Future
- Buddhist ritual held on Jiuhua Mountain in E China's Anhui
- Photographer focuses lens on China's rail history
- Phone booths are given Baymax makeover
- Chinese Shaolin Temple goes global
- Liu Xiang: A career in pictures
- Flying Tigers commemorated
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
What do we know about AIIB |
Full coverage of Boao Forum for Asia |
Annual legislative and political advisory sessions |
Spring Festival trends reflect a changing China |
Patent applications lead the world |
BC lures Chinese tourists |
Today's Top News
Survey: China bests Japan on economic ties
World Bank welcomes AIIB
Infrastructure bank searching globally for talent
Wowo opens on New York's Nasdaq exchange
Pentagon chief heads to Asia to affirm ties with allies
Business, energy vital
in trade trip
US tourism spots target
Chinese visitors
Suit filed over US weed killer
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |