Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
Update Date: 2009/11/18 13:08 Yang Qianwen
Are the ready-to-eat foods you buy at supermarkets safe and healthy? Today, media exposed that large retailers like A.mart and RT-Mart were found to contain the preservative benzoic acid in their ready-to-eat foods during random inspections. Notably, the vegetarian chicken sold at Yonghe and Dazhi A.mart locations had preservative levels exceeding national standards by up to two times. The retailers quickly pulled the products from shelves and launched investigations into their suppliers. Consumers were outraged, having believed supermarket foods were healthier and more hygienic than those from traditional markets, only to feel deceived. Many vowed never to buy such ready-to-eat foods again.
Ready-to-eat food supplier: "This is from today." Reporter: "This was made today?" Supplier: "Yes, yes."
The freshly marinated vegetarian chicken, originally destined for supermarkets, was now all returned due to customer complaints. Buyers reported a strange, prickly and sour taste after consuming the products, prompting tests that revealed alarming results.
Yonghe A.mart’s marinated vegetarian chicken tested at 1.391 grams of benzoic acid per kilogram, while Dazhi A.mart’s cold vegetarian chicken registered 1.284 grams—both exceeding national standards by over two times. The scandal tarnished the retailers' reputations, prompting urgent meetings with suppliers for answers.
Supplier: "The latest inspection report for the vegetarian chicken was on October 7, but it only tested for bacterial count, not preservatives."
Reporter: "Why wasn’t preservative testing done?" Supplier: "Because food safety isn’t just about preservatives. The tofu ingredients come from external sources; we just marinate or season them before distribution." Reporter: "Was benzoic acid used in the process?" Supplier: "No, absolutely not."
The supplier insisted no preservatives were used in processing, shifting blame to upstream suppliers in Taoyuan’s Daxi district. However, benzoic acid can cause excessive salivation, diarrhea, rapid heartbeat, and acute poisoning in adults at just 1.3 grams. Long-term accumulation in the body can harm the liver and cause developmental delays.
Supermarket representative: "We will accept returns for all purchased vegetarian chicken and take full responsibility for any health issues."
While the supermarkets pulled all affected products and pledged accountability, the vegetarian chicken had been sold for three to four years, leaving countless potential victims.
Source: http://tw. news. yahoo. com/ article/ url/ d/ a/ 091118/ 8/ 1v6vt. html
Rotten Deli! RT-Mart and A.mart Exceed Preservative Limits
Are the ready-to-eat foods you buy at supermarkets safe and healthy? Today, media exposed that large retailers like A.mart and RT-Mart were found to contain the preservative benzoic acid in their ready-to-eat foods during random inspections. Notably, the vegetarian chicken sold at Yonghe and Dazhi A.mart locations had preservative levels exceeding national standards by up to two times. The retailers quickly pulled the products from shelves and launched investigations into their suppliers. Consumers were outraged, having believed supermarket foods were healthier and more hygienic than those from traditional markets, only to feel deceived. Many vowed never to buy such ready-to-eat foods again.
Ready-to-eat food supplier: "This is from today." Reporter: "This was made today?" Supplier: "Yes, yes."
The freshly marinated vegetarian chicken, originally destined for supermarkets, was now all returned due to customer complaints. Buyers reported a strange, prickly and sour taste after consuming the products, prompting tests that revealed alarming results.
Yonghe A.mart’s marinated vegetarian chicken tested at 1.391 grams of benzoic acid per kilogram, while Dazhi A.mart’s cold vegetarian chicken registered 1.284 grams—both exceeding national standards by over two times. The scandal tarnished the retailers' reputations, prompting urgent meetings with suppliers for answers.
Supplier: "The latest inspection report for the vegetarian chicken was on October 7, but it only tested for bacterial count, not preservatives."
Reporter: "Why wasn’t preservative testing done?" Supplier: "Because food safety isn’t just about preservatives. The tofu ingredients come from external sources; we just marinate or season them before distribution." Reporter: "Was benzoic acid used in the process?" Supplier: "No, absolutely not."
The supplier insisted no preservatives were used in processing, shifting blame to upstream suppliers in Taoyuan’s Daxi district. However, benzoic acid can cause excessive salivation, diarrhea, rapid heartbeat, and acute poisoning in adults at just 1.3 grams. Long-term accumulation in the body can harm the liver and cause developmental delays.
Supermarket representative: "We will accept returns for all purchased vegetarian chicken and take full responsibility for any health issues."
While the supermarkets pulled all affected products and pledged accountability, the vegetarian chicken had been sold for three to four years, leaving countless potential victims.
Source: http://tw. news. yahoo. com/ article/ url/ d/ a/ 091118/ 8/ 1v6vt. html