I don't know what's safe any more

Cuisine Food & Drink
41

According to the news, actually, basically everything is wrong with lard. Grease from leather factories? Check. Non-edible industrial use oil? You bet. Oil inteded for animal consumption? Oh it’s in there too.

I would cook if I ever had the time, but I’m usually out in the early morning and not at home until near midnight. :-/[/quote]

Probably grease from leather factories is scraped off fat before the skin is further processed … even in old times people did that, but they probably used it as candle fat.

42

Oh God, what a revolting thought.

43

Love the quote from the gment saying they will be more strict with imports of edible oils… Eh, the problem is manufacturers using non edible oils -oils not meant for human consumption- for their products. Plus of course, the ol trick of passing non edible oils as edible.

And what really bothers me is how them oils still pass all the tests…

44

I’m wondering - what’s good in terms of fresh milk?

I don’t drink it, but my kids and wife do. The mother-in-law has been buying fresh milk in little Yakult bottles - I think it’s actually by Yakult. But it just seems weird drinking milk from little bottles. I’ve recently bought some UHT milk from Welcome - it was from New Zealand, but the family tells me that UHT milk is bad. Are there any good fresh milks you can get from local supermarkets?

45

Familymart and 711 sell milk in glass bottles. I felt fine drinking it. If you are really set on healthy milk there are dairies that deliver. I know there’s a goats milk dairy with fair prices in Taipei.

46

[quote=“Icon”]Love the quote from the gment saying they will be more strict with imports of edible oils… Eh, the problem is manufacturers using non edible oils -oils not meant for human consumption- for their products. Plus of course, the ol trick of passing non edible oils as edible.

And what really bothers me is how them oils still pass all the tests…[/quote]

That’s because they are filtered, refined and processed until they’re ‘edible’ … mixed into new oil in small percentages.

47

According to the news, actually, basically everything is wrong with lard. Grease from leather factories? Check. Non-edible industrial use oil? You bet. Oil inteded for animal consumption? Oh it’s in there too.

I would cook if I ever had the time, but I’m usually out in the early morning and not at home until near midnight. :-/[/quote]

You need to make time. We get up at 5, run, make breakfast for the kids, shower and have them at school by 730. We cook everything, not because of this or the multitude of other scandals but because it tastes better and is healthier. And I have no faith that prepared food here is safe. I enjoy the taste of Taiwan’s fast food but in moderation.

48

I’ve seen goat farms in Taiwan and I’ve seen they’re properly stocked with antibiotics …

49

I don’t drink milk often. I just avoid major toxins and relax. A few minutes googling might turn up a real organic dairy…

50

[quote=“Dr Jellyfish”]I’m wondering - what’s good in terms of fresh milk?

I don’t drink it, but my kids and wife do. The mother-in-law has been buying fresh milk in little Yakult bottles - I think it’s actually by Yakult. But it just seems weird drinking milk from little bottles. I’ve recently bought some UHT milk from Welcome - it was from New Zealand, but the family tells me that UHT milk is bad. Are there any good fresh milks you can get from local supermarkets?[/quote]

Fourleaves - forclovers, four something something- Dragonbones already gave the link! and they deliver.

Mine also delivers: Chu Lu milk

Luv Yakult. Saved my life after my operation. Swear by the stuff. When I run out of organic milk, theirs is the only one I dare to grace my coffee with…

51

[quote=“Icon”][quote=“Dr Jellyfish”]I’m wondering - what’s good in terms of fresh milk?

I don’t drink it, but my kids and wife do. The mother-in-law has been buying fresh milk in little Yakult bottles - I think it’s actually by Yakult. But it just seems weird drinking milk from little bottles. I’ve recently bought some UHT milk from Welcome - it was from New Zealand, but the family tells me that UHT milk is bad. Are there any good fresh milks you can get from local supermarkets?[/quote]

Fourleaves - forclovers, four something something- Dragonbones already gave the link! and they deliver.

Mine also delivers: Chu Lu milk

Luv Yakult. Saved my life after my operation. Swear by the stuff. When I run out of organic milk, theirs is the only one I dare to grace my coffee with…[/quote]

Yeah - thanks. I’ve just found it. Was looking for just normal milk, but I could only see yogurt and chocolate stuff. I’ve left them a message, so hopefully it will all be sorted. If they deliver, I’m happy to become a long-term customer.

52

According to the news, actually, basically everything is wrong with lard. Grease from leather factories? Check. Non-edible industrial use oil? You bet. Oil inteded for animal consumption? Oh it’s in there too.

I would cook if I ever had the time, but I’m usually out in the early morning and not at home until near midnight. :-/[/quote]

You need to make time. We get up at 5, run, make breakfast for the kids, shower and have them at school by 730. We cook everything, not because of this or the multitude of other scandals but because it tastes better and is healthier. And I have no faith that prepared food here is safe. I enjoy the taste of Taiwan’s fast food but in moderation.[/quote]

Congratulations! You are doing the right thing. Scandal or no scandal, cooking at home is a good investment in health and family life and beats prepared food in better ingredients, better hygiene, better cooking methods, better cooking ware, and on the list goes.

53

Sorry, wrong thread. :blush:

54

Totally agree that it’s hard to know what’s safe and what’s not. I’ve started using nutrifresh.com.tw for food delivery and it’s quite good. On my 3rd subscription plan now. They deliver two healthy meals to my house every day around 8:30am. I take one, give one to my wife and then our lunch is sorted for the day. (If we go out with coworkers or something then we save it for dinner.) It’s not cheap at 200nt/meal but the food quality is pretty good. I could eat cheaper at some of the restaurants around my office, but I am a bit suspicious in how they’re preparing the food.

I also like the idea of using a crockpot to slow-cook meals. I love stews and soups! With cooler weather not too far off, I think I’ll give this a shot. Just need to pick up one of those 電鍋’s I think. :slight_smile:

55

Well, I think that if you start adding the convenience, the delivery, and the quality of the ingredients, then it is not that expensive for a similar thing in a restaurant. I compare my salads, for example, with other salads around town, and there is no way they have the same amount of ingredients for 200 nts, or at least, no healthy way. Plus as you say, peace of mind has no price.

Weekends I cook -or at least, I am doing it lately- and definitively, I can share my garbanzo with pork ribs recipe.

56

I am consuming milk powder and other products made by Quaker. According to many of my friends, Quaker products are safe.

57

[quote=“Icon”]Well, I think that if you start adding the convenience, the delivery, and the quality of the ingredients, then it is not that expensive for a similar thing in a restaurant. I compare my salads, for example, with other salads around town, and there is no way they have the same amount of ingredients for 200 nts, or at least, no healthy way. Plus as you say, peace of mind has no price.

Weekends I cook -or at least, I am doing it lately- and definitively, I can share my garbanzo with pork ribs recipe.[/quote]

Yeah, everything added together it’s an OK deal. Do you mean that you’re able to make good salads for around 200nt each? The (small) issue I have with salads is that all the ingredients that you need to make a good one tend to spoil quite quickly.

58

[quote=“schwarzwald”]…

Congratulations! You are doing the right thing. Scandal or no scandal, cooking at home is a good investment in health and family life and beats prepared food in better ingredients, better hygiene, better cooking methods, better cooking ware, and on the list goes.[/quote]

I doubt that’s true … not everyone does a good job when cooking … some people cook at home, but have no clue what they are doing and therefor don’t do a better job, or cook healthier or use better ingredients and cooking ware and do it more hygienic.

59

[quote=“rocky raccoon”][quote=“Icon”]Well, I think that if you start adding the convenience, the delivery, and the quality of the ingredients, then it is not that expensive for a similar thing in a restaurant. I compare my salads, for example, with other salads around town, and there is no way they have the same amount of ingredients for 200 nts, or at least, no healthy way. Plus as you say, peace of mind has no price.

Weekends I cook -or at least, I am doing it lately- and definitively, I can share my garbanzo with pork ribs recipe.[/quote]

Yeah, everything added together it’s an OK deal. Do you mean that you’re able to make good salads for around 200nt each? The (small) issue I have with salads is that all the ingredients that you need to make a good one tend to spoil quite quickly.[/quote]

Well, I may be able to make decent salads for 200 each, but my point was that if you buy a salad at a cleanish, decent place for that size and variety of ingredients, you would have to pay more than 200 nts -I guess even Subway’s is close to the 180 mark…

For example, a certain upscale café -NOT Starbucks!- close to the office serves paninis and salads. Paninis are OK. Salad is a bunch of romaine, a sprinkle of parmesanish cheese, dressing and croutons. Might have some slices of tomato, cut with a scalpel. Mystery meat alias preserved cooked chicken, 3 slices. Yep, over 200 nts.

I get a container full of lettuce, tomato, corn, green, yellow and red peppers, mushrooms, eggs and some meat -chicken, pork or beef- and a cup of dressing on the side. Nothing is left when I finish.

60

Rocky if you go to a decent market stall they’ll let you buy one tomato one corn one ginger etc… Salads should be made the afternoon you buy the ingredients. I can’t stand those disgusting bags of wilted rotting leaves in supermarkets. I never use a fridge, one reason I love this island.