This is a new one for me; not familiar with the controversy regarding the Chinese garlic. Could you enlighten my ignorance?
(obviously biased source) https://www.christopherranch.com/archives/89
Risks Associated With Widespread Chinese Garlic Use
The influx of Chinese garlic into the U.S. has brought with it an array of safety, health and environmental problems for consumers, customers and the globe.
Considering Chinese garlic represents nearly 60% of fresh garlic distributed in the U.S., it is a legitimate reason for concern.
Retailers and foodservice providers are now required to place a Country of Origin Label on all produce items, so it’s important to recognize where your garlic is coming from, as there are major safety, health, flavor, freshness and environmental discrepancies between California-grown and Chinese garlic:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/19/AR2007061900423.html
Some California growers and processors say that even though they don’t like Chinese garlic, they buy some because it’s cheaper than what it costs them to grow it — even in Gilroy, the “Garlic Capital of the World,” which in July will hold its 29th annual festival celebrating the vegetable.
Bill Christopher of the 50-year-old Christopher Ranch there, one of the largest U.S. growers, explained why: “A 30-pound box of Chinese garlic is $14, but our cost [to produce it] here is $26.27.” Although he claims California garlic tastes better — independent lab tests show it’s denser in texture than Chinese — his company uses imports in some prepared products, such as sauces.
http://curezone.com/forums/am.asp?i=1129725
The bulk of the world’s garlic is produced in China where the cost of labour significantly reduces the cost of manual processing that garlic requires. For this reason, in those countries that accept imported garlic (including USA, Australia but not Europe), buying imported garlic is cheaper.
Despite this, Chinese garlic does not meet with food safety protocols (at least those in Australia). According to Henry Bell of the Australian Garlic Industry Association, garlic from China is doused in chemicals to stop sprouting, to whiten garlic, and to kill insects and plant matter. He also reports that garlic is grown in untreated sewage ((http://www.theage.com.au/news/epicure/f...) .
Garlic can be whitened by using chlorine or with a mixture of sulphur and wood ash. Whitening garlic helps to make it look healthier and more attractive to consumers. In fact this obsession with white foods has lead to the bleaching of many food products (flour, salt, sugar) using chlorine dioxide or benzoyl peroxide.
Growth inhibitors are used to stop garlic from sprouting and can be made from hormones or chemicals. When garlic begins to sprout, the garlic clove loses much of its potency. Growth inhibitors together with gamma irradiation extend the shelf life of garlic.
China flooded the US market with their inferior garlic for less then it cost to grow it over there and I think the FTC called them on it.
If I understood correctly, tubebender plants this chinese variety because it takes less time to get a harvest that the other types.
I am not aware of controvery other than the name. China’s not a favorite name for some doncha know?