What Are We Eating? - Food Safety in China

To help sort fact from fiction, we posed our readers most commonly asked food-related questions to three experts in the fields of food safety, food imports and nutrition: Jean-Pierre Chesse, founder and CEO of Sinodis, the leading food importer in China; Won Song, Professor of Human Nutrition, Michigan State University; and John Chapple, general manager of Sino Analytica, a prominent food safety research firm.

What are the main challenges related to food safety in China?

Chapple: There are definitely issues related to extreme climate and the lack of education. China has very warm and very cold regions. In the south, there are more pests and diseases than in Europe and for the north, a greater reliance on greenhouse farming. Outside of climate, Chinese farmers are not generally licensed or educated in minimising pesticides. When you have 200 million people trying to grow things, things are not going to be perfect [but] I do believe that they are changing for the better.

Song: Like in the US five to 10 years ago, the main risk factors in China are what we call chemical issues – pesticides and residues. These issues are far easier for families to mitigate compared to the microbial contamination [eg, salmonella] of vegetables recently discovered in the US Health and food safety issues are not limited to China alone.

Chesse: The supply chain and logistics issues related to chilled food in particular are very complex and demand strict temperature control and, additionally, control over the entire supply chain – from factory to grocery store or restaurant. We have found that the only way to truly ensure food safety is to control the entire process – from farm to shelf. [But] I do believe that China is working very hard to … improve its food safety regimen.

Is there anything that you would definitely not eat in China?

Chapple: Look, fruit and vegetables in China are generally safe and please tell your readers not to worry too much. Having said that I would stay away from any fruit or vegetable that is out of season. When farmers try to produce out of season it means that they have to use more fertilizers or pesticides to achieve growth. I would also avoid any vegetable that looks too good because there may have been some tampering to achieve that perfectly red apple. Certain fruits like watermelon are probably more vulnerable to contamination. Finally, do not eat too much of any one thing. For example, if all you eat is cucumbers then you are unnecessarily increasing your exposure to any problems related to cucumbers.

Song: I cannot overestimate the importance of hand washing, especially in China. The heavy metals in the air are not filtered or excreted but stored in the body and can be very harmful. Even if you have the safest fruit in front of you, if you’re eating with contaminated hands it’s of no use. Also, I would avoid organ meats or any meat sold at room temperature. For fruit grown close to the ground, like grapes or strawberries, follow a careful washing regimen.

Chesse: I would generally avoid deli counter cheese and hams, unless you can know for a fact that it is fresh and safe. Always check the expiry date and for frozen foods especially, look to see if the packaging is damp or misshaped – this may be a sign that the item thawed and refroze.

Is it safe to buy from street vendors or at fresh markets?

Chapple: I would buy your daily green vegetables or fruits with a peel from a street vendor without much hesitation. I would not, however, buy anything exotic or out of season. For those items I would go to a reputable grocery store or just avoid them outright. Greens are generally very safe in China – Chinese cabbage in particular is very reliable. Broccoli, cauliflower, tree fruits, root vegetables and fruits with peels are also safe.

 

The good and the bad

  • Go seasonal. Eating what’s in season is one way to reduce your exposure to contamination from fertilizers and pesticide use. For more exotic fruits and vegetables, restrict your purchasing to very well-known supermarkets or avoid altogether.

  • Buy meat with less exposed surface area. Meat can be contaminated by coming into contact with untreated surfaces. Buy meat in cubes rather than slices. If your family consumes a lot of meat, try buying a large cube and slicing it with a clean knife at home.

  • Buy refrigerated meat only. Avoid any meat sold at room temperature.

  • Avoid organ meats (e.g, liver, kidney). Basic physiology teaches that the organs are the body’s filter and, hence, where many of the more dangerous elements may be stored.

  • Avoid ground-growing fruits and vegetables. Ground-growing fruits and veggies may have greater surface contact with contaminated soil. Fruits like watermelon, which is often sold by weight, may be better to avoid as it’s difficult to detect if it has been injected with water to increase its mass.

 

Food Preparation Tips

Salt and vinegar kill most microorganisms if added to the following cleaning routine:

  1. Rinse fruits and vegetables, removing all visible dirt and dust.

  2. Fill a clean basin with drinking water adding a spoon of salt and a couple of spoons of vinegar. The salt draws the water out of vegetables and fruits through osmosis and cleans out any pores.

  3. Add the fruits or vegetables and let them soak for a few minutes followed by a rinse.

    Finally, peel generously and cook thoroughly. Take off one or more layers for onions and cabbage – there are dramatic differences between the first and second layers

 

Grace Chesse is a Shanghai mother of two and founder of Lollipop, a children's boutique on Hongmei Lu. This article first appeared in Shanghai Family, the essential resource for expatriate families living in Shanghai.

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