national

More Japanese firms withdraw Husi-supplied products; 5 detained in China

40 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

40 Comments
Login to comment

There should be strict international standards and clear labelling of all food products. This doesn't only concern Chinese food products. It includes the U.S.A., Brazil, Chile and other food exporting nations.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

"Hebei told Reuters on Wednesday that regulations were very strict at the plant" Clearly a different standard of the meaning of strict regulation. One of the first world problems that gets me is to have to worry about the food I order. Through my short memory I can cite unagi, bread, saizeria dough, gusto, bikuri donki, korean yukke (yukhoe), now mc nuggets. And I thought we should worry about mc nuggets even if it was well sanitized...

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The five people detained in China include the head of Shanghai Husi, a unit of U.S.-based OSI Group LLC - and the firm’s quality manager, the police said in an online statement.

OK, let me state right up front, I am no fan of China, but, it seems on the issue of food-safety, maybe Japan could take a lesson from them. Within 48 hours or so of this situation breaking, China has already detained five people. Japan has had several mis-labeling/re-labeling cases in the last few years, and the most that ever seems to happen is the company prez. holds a press conference in which he apologizes for "causing confusion", followed by the government sternly warning them to "show improvement". One could ask which country is really serious about food-safety?

10 ( +17 / -6 )

After the series of contaminated-food scandal in Chinese food manufacturing firms, I am surprised companies outside of China continue to outsource food manufacturing contracts there ..................... . . .It doesn't take a brain n scientist to figure out that the 'controls' in that country are not sufficient to ensure safe production.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

So all the big comanies like Mc, KFC etc do their own inspections but are eitehr decived or they put profits first, that the latter seems more likely to me. I don't eat much of any fast food these days because I suspect it is more than just bad for your health but as in these cases, possibly toxic.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Safety food standards are not enforced and the government and businesses are concerned only with economic growth and financial gain. "Shanghai food watchdog" , isn't that contradictory? The companies (importers) should innovate to find alternatives and try to reduce dependence on Chinese food products.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

I guess that's why it's all so cheap!

8 ( +8 / -0 )

The justice system in any country isn't perfect. However my hat is off to China to this matter. Lock em up quick, get to the bottom of this.

No need to delay.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Safety food standards are not enforced and the government and businesses are concerned only with economic growth and financial gain.

These regulations are enforced in domestic facilities, USDA inspectors are almost "live-in" fixtures at US plants. If you have ever bought meat at a US market, you will often see a bit of ink from an inspector's stamp on the edge of a streak or cut of beef. And, unlike China, US inspectors don't give plants any notice before performing an audit or inpsection. I am sure that China doesn't either, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Chinese inspector didn't have a cozy relationship with Shanghai Hsui. Japan's inspection system is modeled on America's, and is also quite strict.

As for economic growth or financial gain, it is practice of achieving these which has made it possible for you to buy a good meal at any time or place for a very low cost. No system is perfect, but the one we have is the best which people have come up with so far. If you don't like the system, you can always move to North Korea, or to a developing country where people have to spend more than half their income to feed themselves. But you would probably fimd that the quality of Shanghai Hsui's products is far higher than what most people in the world by necessity must consume.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

@sangetsu03

I am referring to food standards in China and not talking about the USDA at all.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

So, they are accused of using rotten meat in nuggets and other products, but nobody has become sick from eating them? Does this mean the accusations are false or does it mean these so-called 'chicken' nuggets contain very little meat at all and the concentrations of tainted meat were not enough to make anybody sick? I'm surprised that anybody is shocked by this news. Everyone knows the large food and convenience store chains use cheap Chinese food stuffs. You are what you eat!

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Wait a sec. You really salute to China for detaining 5 people? Do you even have a concept what this probably means in a country like that? I really don't want to imagine. Nobody deserves the kind of "detainment" China is offering, and I doubt they even did or will do further investigations, since getting rid of certain scapegoats is so much easier. This is way more disgusting that any food scandal.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Executives at the multinational companies that sourced food from Shanghai Hsui Food should also be held criminally accountable for putting their customers at risk (McDonalds, KFC, Family Mart, Seven&i Holdings, etc.). A little jail time is deserved, and would help ensure consumer safety in the future.

When these companies contract production, particularly in developing countries, they are responsible for ensuring proper labor standards and adequate inspection and safety precautions. Executives of these companies have been getting away with improper business practices with no consequences in the name of profits for far too long.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

"This is way more disgusting that (sic) any food scandal."

Unless it were your child that ate some of tainted food and became ill, right? Since there is no evidence in this case of "scapegoating" then I cheer the detainment of these 5 people. But I know, bashing China is all the rage and the hip thing right now. I suggest you also take a nice long look of the "justice" system here in good ole Nippon before tossing some stones at other countries.

The law was broken and China acted quickly to rectify the matter. As others have noted, I would like to see such urgency in Japan when there is a food scandal here other than the dog and pony "sumimasendeshita" show of a company president who knows they avoid any further "trouble" from investigators by doing so. I think Japan can take some lessons in this case.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

There is a china wide boycott going on at my house, nothing gets bought knowingly or willingly if it comes from china

1 ( +7 / -6 )

So, they are accused of using rotten meat in nuggets and other products, but nobody has become sick from eating them?

And if the meat is rotten it would smell....According to Japanese papers that is what the factory workers are also saying. They have a point quite seriously if a quarter of McDonalds restaurants in China have been have been serving expired meat with nothing to show for it.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

These regulations are enforced in domestic facilities, USDA inspectors are almost "live-in" fixtures at US plants. And, unlike China, US inspectors don't give plants any notice before performing an audit or inpsection. I am sure that China doesn't either, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Chinese inspector didn't have a cozy relationship with Shanghai Hsui.

USDA inspectors are almost "live-in" in the U.S. because their salary is paid by the company they "inspect." They only "inspect" that company. It's not the independent agency you give the impression it is. The U.S. is not the Garden of Eden of food processing.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I think it is a conspiracy meat in McDonald products really? :P

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

It is possible to process expired meat in a way where the smell would be hardly noticeable, especially in a product like "popcorn chicken" or nuggets.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

While what the particular Husi supplier doing is revoting and should at the very least shut down, many of the nations scolding the company on food safety ought to take a look in there own back yards. American meat processors are disgusting, and lest we forget Mikasa, Fujiya, the countless cases of food poisonings, and mislabeling in Japan, just as examples.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

If you think about it, it's pretty scary. This only happened because a reporter found out. A reporter. Not no inspection team. So who knows how many other places are selling expired meat and/or the such. You would think that the big companies would be more strict on their inspections too. Also, you can't really blame China completely. It's a given that if you're going to do business with China, quality can sometimes be sacrificed due to the cheap price. It's the buyer's duty to inspect the products, especially if it's food.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

@sangetsu03JUL. 24, 2014 - 09:10AM JST

Safety food standards are not enforced and the government and businesses are concerned only with economic growth and financial gain.

These regulations are enforced in domestic facilities, USDA inspectors are almost "live-in" fixtures at US plants. If you have ever bought meat at a US market, you will often see a bit of ink from an inspector's stamp on the edge of a streak or cut of beef. And, unlike China, US inspectors don't give plants any notice before performing an audit or inpsection. I am sure that China doesn't either, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Chinese inspector didn't have a cozy relationship with Shanghai Hsui. Japan's inspection system is modeled on America's, and is also quite strict;;

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

What this article got to do with USDA (USA - Department of Agriculture)???

2 ( +2 / -0 )

"This is way more disgusting that (sic) any food scandal."

Unless it were your child that ate some of tainted food and became ill, right? Since there is no evidence in this case of "scapegoating" then I cheer the detainment of these 5 people. But I know, bashing China is all the rage and the hip thing right now. I suggest you also take a nice long look of the "justice" system here in good ole Nippon before tossing some stones at other countries.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Why buy food products from China? A well known reputation of illness or worse from them.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Not praising China here, the media here is sure playing this up though aint they

0 ( +2 / -2 )

NHK showed a scene in the factory where a pieces of ground beef are falling off the conveyor belts, and the workers just scoop the off the floor and put them back on the line.

2 ( +2 / -1 )

If they can bleach it, flavour it and fry it, they'll sell it to YOU fast food eater. Be you in Japan, South Africa, Spain or Canada. Enjoy!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I blame the United States. Companies here have a policy of the cheaper the better and who cares if it kills somebody as long as the law suits don't exceed the profit margin. This in turn forces all competitors to do the same. All the While the Government backs up bad policies with more bad policies.

BTW Bad meats won't necessarily kill healthy adults, but it can kill the elderly, small children, and sick people, which will not always be linked back to the restaurant that caused it. This is what Corps are banking on.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Executives at the multinational companies that sourced food from Shanghai Hsui Food should also be held criminally accountable for putting their customers at risk

So if you owned a company, and one of your contractors was damaging goods or food products, you should go to prison too? It's highly unlikely that McDonald's, et al knew what was happening at Shanghai Hsui. How about arresting the government employee who was giving Shanghai Hsui warnings before inspections.

Food was sourced from Shanghai Hsui not primarily because of the cost, but because it makes sense to use an asian company to supply the asian market. This was not a typical case of outsourcing.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

There is no need to praise China here. Their health checks and audits are not stringent enough, especially when it comes to big foreign enterprises. Millions of postings have happen in the past 2 days and I am sure more heads will roll. As it is, there are plenty of calls for more severe punishments and the factory concerned is shut for the moment. I have the feeling that this factory can sell processed food overseas is because it is a wholly owned American subsidiary. If it is a Chinese plant, I don't think they can sell overseas. Practically every food processing plant is investigated now as the health authorities are afraid that another bombshell will explode in their face. I suspect somehow, more will be uncovered and this issue will go on for a period of time! At the moment calls are made for the health authorities concerned to be called to answer. In China there is always an over-reaction!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The McDonalds inspection team is shown in one of the videos. After they leave, the reporter asked, "It must be hard to work when they are here." The factory worker said, "Yeah, we can't do what we usually do when they are here." So, the inspection teams seemed to have been fooled by the factory. They even had special yellow clothes. rather than the standard white clothes. I imagine so that all the workers in the factory would know that there were inspectors in the factory. Madness.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

My logical mind tells me that so called rancid meat is not that all dangerous to humans. Meat growing bacteria of many kinds can be cooked and eaten. Some bacteria though produce toxins that cannot be made neutral by cooking.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Even Chinese themselves do not purchase foods with made in China label. Google Chinese fake foods and you will find loads of images/videos showing those fake foods, etc. Never mind rotten meat, industrial strength chemicals etc. have also been reported being use.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

People still have not learned China produces nor makes anything of quality.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

What's with all the China bashing on this page?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

The video of the workers scooping up off the floor that sludge that is supposed to be meat is pretty rough.

Last week's McNuggets may have been my last.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If most people knew what goes into a lot of processed food, that food would go mostly unsold.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Serrano,

If most people knew what goes into a lot of processed food, that food would go mostly unsold.

So true. And luckily for us, people like Jamie Oliver take off the wraps and show us:

http://www.medicaldaily.com/mcdonalds-use-ammonium-hydroxide-wash-meat-angers-chef-jamie-oliver-theyre-not-only-culprit-video

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Not surprising that corruption would lead to horrible food standards and few countries are as corrupt as China.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

scipantheist,

few countries are as corrupt as China.

I have no idea how you are judging. But I would say that as the corruption in the U.S.A., U.K. and Japan are mostly hidden from view, there's probably not much in it.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites