Gutter oil

So MANY places in Taiwan are polluted openly. I live in Taichung for a few years, right beside the Central Science Park. I saw some shocking things there, and this was basically in the city. I saw holes being dug and cables being burned and then buried again (of course that releases toxins into the soil). The rivers running along the science park are open sewers. In fact there are open sewers through the city itself (as there are in parts of Taipei still).

This science park has revenues of billions of USD and it includes TSMC and other top names. Those companies contributed to very expensive waste water recycling equipment, but it doesn’t mean much, because other companies in the park emitted noxious fumes at night, and many small operations or farmers in the area openly polluted. They are still building illegal factories on agriculture zone land just at the edge of the park. Just look at Dali area or large parts of Changhua, factories beside rice fields. 99% of those factories are not legal if they are located on agricultural land. Where does the waste go?

The latest thing I see is the widespread use of plastic sheeting to cover weeds. This is very handy, but it ends up getting stuck in the soil and then it breaks down into the soil and gets cut into little pieces by rotavators. So Taiwan.

Last one they tested, they an hour in the sun… no melting.

And we are eating that… :no-no:[/quote]

I don’t know Chinese, but the news reports seem to vary as to the melting times.

This one seems to say two hours:

This one seems to say 24 hours:

Someone mentioned that I-mei wasn’t affected by this scandal

I read here that is was affected by it :
taipeitimes.com/News/front/a … 03601936/2

“Among the 56 entities affected are Ve Wong Corp, I-Mei Foods Co (義美食品), Laurel Enterprises Co (桂冠實業), Chinese fast-food chain Dicos, Taipei hotel Four Points by Sheraton, Wei Chuan Food Corp (味全) and 124-year-old bakery chain Jiu Zhen Nan (舊振南).”

Guess no company is immune from this.

[quote=“nonredneck”]Someone mentioned that I-mei wasn’t affected by this scandal

I read here that is was affected by it :
taipeitimes.com/News/front/a … 03601936/2[/quote]

That might have been me. Up till now, I’d not seen any news that I-mei had been affected, and AFAIK they’ve been untouched by similar scandals in the past (unlike Weichuan, for instance), in part due to their internal quality control (they had an internal lab at one point). They apparently try to produce more of their own ingredients and keep more of the production in house. In this case, I’m told they outsourced one pork floss product, and that’s what was involved. I’m told they immediately pulled it and stated they would be making that in-house from now on. So they’re still pretty trustworthy, I think, despite many of their products being typical processed foods, and some, like their ice cream sandwiches, being rather pathetic in texture and flavor.

Regardless, we’ve stopped buying most processed foods, and pretty much make almost everything. Our trust in most corporations here has been eroded to well below the comfort point.

[quote=“Dragonbones”]

Regardless, we’ve stopped buying most processed foods, and pretty much make almost everything. Our trust in most corporations here has been eroded to well below the comfort point.[/quote]

Myself also. The remaining issue I have is the heavy pesticide use on fruits and veggies. Quite a few of my favorites require peeling so that helps but there are a few that can only be washed. Meat is kind of hit and miss still but I get most of my meat (steak, chicken breast, hamburger, canned tuna and maybe a few others) from Costco so I’m hoping that they have some internal level of QC that eliminates the crazy awful stuff but not even Costco is truly safe.

You want to go “organic only!” on things like peaches, apples, and leafy green veggies, for sure.
Fortunately, organic apples can be sourced by the case directly from farmers here at a reasonable price (and split with pals), and leafy greens (probably mostly hothouse) are now widely available.

Well, I work on the assumption that unless it’s labelled ‘antibiotic and hormone free’, it’s loaded with those, plus one time I got chicken at Costco and when I opened it at home, it smelled off, so that pretty much put me off of buying their chicken. I do get their canned tuna. We get drug-free chicken at Mayfull, and although it’s pricey, it’s always very fresh and good quality. And we can afford it because we save a LOT of money by cooking at home most of the time, freeing up money to spend on better ingredients.

First I think there needs to be a separation of ‘antibiotic and hormone free’, excessive pesticide or other contaminants and the gutter oil type of issues. I will avoid gutter oil food at great lengths. I need to do better with the pesticide laden fruits and veggies. The antibiotic and hormone free part is a want but lower on the priority list.

Costco has canned tuna that tastes like canned chicken and canned chicken that tastes like canned tuna … :ohreally:
Organic in Taiwan is hit and mis if even the government can’t really certify it … or any organisation. Organic is mixed with non-organic and battery eggs are sold as free range … :eh: Not that I’m an organic fan but more of an organic sceptic.

And if companies manufacture and sell organic food, like cookies or bread etc. … all ingredients should be organic and not just a certain percentage … just my point of view.

Oh, and from next season or so Belgian apple growers are permitted to use a (chemical?) spray that let’s fall apples off the tree … so, no more pickers needed. Isn’t that a great labor cost saver. :ponder:

Abacus, I prioritize the same way; it’s just that our priority on #3 is high enough to act on the majority of the time when sourcing our own ingredients. As for eating out, well, it’s very hard to ask that restaurants hold themselves to the same standards, and those that do (and advertise it) tend to be quite pricey.

Why? For instance, spinach and apples are among the items with the highest pesticide residue if not organic, so it makes sense for consumers to specifically want those ingredients to be organic in, say, a spinach quiche or apple pie. However, pesticide residue is not a major concern in flour, butter, salt, sugar and cheese, so it makes sense to keep costs down by not necessarily using organic versions of these. (I say this even though we do use also organic (and local) flour in the quiches and pies we sell.) All organic is better, but I think partially organic can make sense in some situations too. Clear labeling is a must, though.

Problem is in Taiwan organic simply means normal food that’s cleaned better and labeled organic.

If I were an expatriate, I’d have gotten the hell out of this shithole a long time ago lol. I worship you guys’ tolerance of all these crap. :laughing:
Of course you all have your concerns and reasons, I’m just saying…whatever :lick:

[quote=“Gain”]If I were an expatriate, I’d have gotten the hell out of this shithole a long time ago lol. I worship you guys’ tolerance of all these crap. :laughing:
Of course you all have your concerns and reasons, I’m just saying…whatever :lick:[/quote]

Gutter oil fueled my desire to topple the state

So my coworker takes the paper and starts slapping the face of the factory owner that graces its cover. “See, some people never learn. He was selling all this crap many years ago and look at his face, he got a stroke, yet he keeps on selling! Look at the picture! Just look at it! That is supposed to be vegetarian oil! It says right there on the cans!..@#$%%^&!!!” on and on like 20 minutes. :stuck_out_tongue:

Don’t dare to tell him that is yesterday’s paper… :laughing:

[quote=“Gain”]If I were an expatriate, I’d have gotten the hell out of this shithole a long time ago lol. I worship you guys’ tolerance of all these crap. :laughing:
Of course you all have your concerns and reasons, I’m just saying…whatever :lick:[/quote]

Well, in my case, where I come from it is much worse, as you are not allowed to talk about it, and there are no other options.

Here, I am happily munching some Japanese cookies as I type -gift from a classmate who was just there. I use French mayo. Italian and Spanish oil. Mexican beans. Organic veggies and rice from a reputable supermarket - thank goodness Taiho is close by.

In the meantime, we have the chance to marvel at the depravity of people whose business model is based on deceit. But not a good one, as it eventually comes out to light. Not much that can be done, though, as responsibility in food safety is hard to come. Just as environmental issues. But public conscience is changing, especially younger generations no longer shackled to nonsense, and I hope someday people will demand the standards such a nice place like this needs, in air, water, and foodstuffs.

To buy organic from local farmers, I assume you need to speak Chinese or bring a friend who can speak Chinese to negotiate the delivery and payment? I think I’ve reached the point where I need to start making things myself and avoid store bought processed local stuff. Imported processed stuff may not be as healthy, but I believe the ingredients are at least cleaner.

Well, there are several coops you can order from online. Or I think it is Cottonfields or one of the other smaller stores that have a basket of stuff you an order -ask Dragonbones, he had put the links to that.

If you are in Taipei, drop by Tianho. It is a bit upscale, but well worth it. And it’s got all kinds of meats -except beef, aside from milk, ice cream, veggies, eggs, cereals, bread -organic ingredients all. Even soap and cleaning stuff and clothes.

I am very willing to help you… and actually to start to exchange good places to buy organic food. Why not create a thread ?

Are these products tested on animals?

The soap I use - Olivella is from Italy and not tested on animals. Available from Carrefour.

About ten years ago or more, someone on here posted a comprehensive well researched post about heavy metals in the soil in Taiwan. I have searched for it before but couldn’t find it.
People asking for labeling. When you have big agra like Monsanto backed by the likes of Starbucks promoting or preventing non labeling for GM food (in the US recently), expecting labeling for say antibiotics will be almost fruitless.

Are these products tested on animals?

The soap I use - Olivella is from Italy and not tested on animals. Available from Carrefour.[/quote]

There are many brands to choose from, Italian, French, etc. so I guess if this is an EU requirement it will be there.