RSS Feed
New York - Ban Chinese Kosher Imported Food |
Sponsored By:
|
Text Size
|
Rabbi Martin Grunberg is one of a small group of kosher food inspectors who watches over factory workers in China, the world's fastest-growing producer of kosher-certified products. Here he is on a maintenance tour of a Chinese candy factory making kosher-certified toy candies, most of it for export to the U.S. and Israel. This photo is just an illustration of a china factory being under the watchful eye of a mashgiach
Melamine is a toxic industrial chemical that can cause kidney stones and lead to kidney failure. It has no nutritional value but is high in nitrogen, making products with it appear higher in protein. Suppliers trying to cut costs are believed to have added it to watered-down milk to cover up the resulting protein deficiency.
Luckily none of these baby foods have been exported to the U.S. But just now comes the news that Hong Kong authorities claim to have found the industrial chemical melamine in drinks, ice creams and yogurt from the same Chinese firm involved in the deadly food safety scandal.
Over the past 12 months, China has battled many recalls for products made in their factories.
Dozens of kosher companies import nosh and confectionery from China. While these companies may boast very good kosher certifications, thus rendering irresponsible any call for a ban of their products, the bad news in recent months and especially in the last few days, the question for any consumer remains: can we eat, or give to our children, nosh made in China? We might equally question if the recent spike of sick kids in our community might be linked to toxic chemicals in Chinese-made sweets.
This is not an issue of kashrus. The issue is that Chinese factories cannot be trusted no matter how many mashgichim are placed: the lack of Chinese government oversight and safety laws is incomprehensible and unacceptable.
At the same time, it’s the responsibility of all kosher food importers to assure their customers that the food items they bring in from Chinese factories are safe.
Total30
Read Comments (30) — Post Yours »
1
Sep 18, 2008 at 05:37 PM McCain-Palin 08 Says:
ban anything coming in from communist china
2
Sep 18, 2008 at 05:51 PM Anonymous Says:
Having done business and been ripped off in China- I would not buy anything even with the best Hashgocoh from there-The Chinese mentality is to do the deal today and who cares what happens down the road- There's a sucker born every minute-
I wouldn't trust them under my nose- how much more so past my nose!
3
Sep 18, 2008 at 06:00 PM anon Says:
just asking why the ou is continuing to give a hechsher on chinese products
4
Sep 18, 2008 at 06:09 PM guy Says:
The big food manufacturers have always blocked writing country of origin on fresh food products. It is voluntary.
5
Sep 18, 2008 at 06:14 PM Kashrus Pro Says:
Generally the OU and any other REPUTABLE agency only gives hashgocha in China to products that in reality don't need hashgocha. If it is something that needs hashgocha they are on top of it much more than they are here in North America.
6
Sep 18, 2008 at 06:22 PM Iviarta Hara Mikirbecha Says:
FYI most food coming out of China has toxic coloring and preservatives galore and you wouldn't feed it to your dog. Wait, in China, they eat their dogs!!
7
Sep 18, 2008 at 06:37 PM Rechel mechel Says:
why go to the ou most heimishe hechshers send mashgichim ro china we consumers have 2stop buying food from china they also eat cats and in general they dony wash good
8
Sep 18, 2008 at 07:24 PM Cant Believe IT Says:
Kashrus Pro,
Not being personal chas vshulem, Do you write what you know or know what you write?
You have no clue what's going on there! Enough said!
9
Sep 18, 2008 at 07:24 PM machem Says:
WAS IT CHULOV STAM?
10
Sep 18, 2008 at 09:06 PM AuthenticSatmar Says:
There is a simple solution.
The OU should demand all the plants become Union plants or else they will remove the hashgocho.
11
Sep 18, 2008 at 09:10 PM Chamira Sakanta Says:
A much greater issue is the raw Chinese ingrediants used by many different products. The manufacturers do not have to include this info. A great amount of what you eat has Chinese ingrediants. Maybe Genack will add a requirement to list country of origin.
12
Sep 18, 2008 at 09:15 PM Robroy560 Says:
This is actually a very serious problem. Check the labels of many of our "frum brands." If they are canned fruit, they ususally say made in China. The kosher certified brands, Dole, Mott's, etc. (I know they say Chasidishe Shechita Glatt on the can of peaches), also come from China. Many frozen fish products, sold all over Monsey, Brooklyn, etc., also come from China.
China raises fish in "farms" that are contaminated with raw sewage. They grow produce on soil that has heavy metal deposits that are linked to cancer. Many articles have been written aboutt this.
Folks, read your labels. Know what you are ingesting.
Shana Tova.
13
Sep 18, 2008 at 09:13 PM Anonymous Says:
where is hechsher lo tzedek
14
Sep 18, 2008 at 09:29 PM Safety First Says:
I do not buy any food from China.
I forgo much cheaper frozen fish and other food.
15
Sep 18, 2008 at 10:11 PM Anonymous Says:
I thought I was the only sane person upset at all the Chinese (poison) food with hechshers. Is is obvious that the chinese are totally dishonest and have no scruples. They can knock off any seal or hechsher and 9 out of 10 times will not get caught.
Eating chinese food products means risking your life and eating treif.
Eating chinese food products with a hechsher means risking your life and possibly eating treif.
16
Sep 19, 2008 at 08:54 AM Cant Believe IT Says:
Safety First................
Close your mouth and don't eat 90% of food. Dig deep, way deep and you'll find out.
17
Sep 19, 2008 at 09:02 AM Esther Malka Says:
In my house anything " MADE IN CHINA" is Banned for health reasons. I keep reading of the unsanitary conditions in the chinese plants. So people have seichel
18
Sep 19, 2008 at 10:53 AM Anonymous Says:
Before you eat another food product from China or with Chinese ingredients, be aware of what really goes on there. During the SARS epidemic in China a few years ago, the masgiach for a large US kashrus organization which certifies many Chinese products including industrial ingredients returned to the US. I spoke with him regarding his kashrus supervision there. I have lived among oriental peoples both here in the US and overseas, so I have some first hand experience in how they operate and their "moral" values. I asked the mashgiach if he was fluent in the Chinese language and could read Chinese? He said that he knew a little. Next, I asked him if the Chinese try to fool or trick him. He answered, "Avada." I then asked if he ALWAYS caught them. He answered, "I do the best that I can." Finally, I asked him if he believed that Yidden really wanted "emes-dig" kashrus rather than "the best you can" kashrus. He merely shrugged his shoulders. Now I ask all of you - Do you want "emes-dig" kashrus or "the best you can" kashrus? I am doubtful that one can really achieve "emes-dig" kashrus when dealing with the Chinese in China. Needless to say, I avoid all Chinese products and those with Chinese industrial ingredients. To do this, I avoid most "processed" food items in which these industrial ingredients may be found. In reality, we must begin to treat every day as Pesach; that is, use fresh fruits and vegetables, bake at home, and avoid processed foods as much as possible regardless of hashgocha.
19
Sep 19, 2008 at 11:12 AM BMG_KTLR Says:
Yes - food safety first. I am concerned about anything from China - at this time. If possible, buy local only.
20
Sep 19, 2008 at 11:23 AM Wondering Says:
If I would be Rabbi Gruenberg, I'd worry about his picture up here. Don't think for a minute the chinese government dosen't see these pages.
They will bar him to enter the country. Just look at their past history vis-a-vis any type of critic.
22
Sep 19, 2008 at 12:17 PM English teacher Says:
I asked the manager of Fairway why they don't carry certain fish products (a heimishe brand sold in many kosher stores) in their kosher section. He said that the owners will not sell fish from China, as a matter of principle.
23
Sep 19, 2008 at 12:52 PM DK Says:
they also eat woman's placentas (after birth) beleive it or not. big delicacy there. this is the type we are dealing with.
24
Sep 19, 2008 at 01:03 PM Nechamah Says:
Although it is very VERY difficult in today's market, I try very hard to not buy anything from China, not just food. Believe me, it is very hard to find anything not made in CHina. But aside from the comments I read here, some of which I had no idea, especially the mashgiach conversation, just consider so many times there is chalila a life-threatening or deadly problem with their products.
25
Sep 19, 2008 at 01:39 PM LIBERAL Says:
SO WHAT IS THERE A KASHRUS ISSUE WITH EATING PLACENTA! DO NOT INSULT OTHER CULTURES CUSTOMS JUST BECAUSE YOU MAY BE DIFFRENT!
26
Sep 19, 2008 at 01:50 PM iowhiw Says:
"This is not an issue of kashrus."
what? Poisoned food is now Kosher?
27
Sep 19, 2008 at 02:01 PM common sense Says:
somehow i cant imagine that placenta can be kosher and if you want to eat it you need a psych eval!
28
Sep 19, 2008 at 02:38 PM bigwheeel Says:
LIBERAL 1:39PM. First, calm down [or up]. Then, learn English [Spelling]! Third, some people may be DIFFRENT (different)! and they still don't eat "Placentae", because that's Cannibalism! Fourth. I'll bet you're not Jewish --and anti-Semitic--!!!
29
Sep 19, 2008 at 03:13 PM yankel Says:
bigwheel is probably right, it's not a jewish comment.
30
Sep 19, 2008 at 05:02 PM The end Says:
If you want to understand what is going on in China read "The river runs black" . After that you will know more then the OK and OU and 99.999% of everyone else.
Kosher and China are for the most part, distant cousins.
31
Sep 20, 2008 at 10:57 AM Anonymous Says:
China is on it's way, but it does not have to be at the expense of our health or the freedom of Tibetan Monks who are now living as refugees.
It may be impossible to eleiminate or boycott all products of Chinese manufacture, but it is within reason that we can remove ourselves from any type of co-sponsorship in what the Chinese government sanctions.
We Jews should leave all of our business concerns in China, sell for a profit if they can, or, break even if that is the best they can do... I would even suggest a loss, if the individuals can still sustain themselves...Otherwise, I fear our very souls are in jeapordy.
In my eyes, there is plenty of evil afoot in China and that moniker of evil should not belong to us.