Posted on 07/14/2007 2:03:08 PM PDT by wesley_windam-price
Chopped cardboard, softened in an industrial chemical and made tasty with pork flavoring, is a main ingredient in batches of steamed buns sold in a Beijing neighborhood, state television said.
The report, aired late Wednesday on China Central Television, highlights the country's perennial problems with food safety despite continuing government efforts to improve the situation.
Countless small, often illegally run operations exist across China and make money cutting corners by using inexpensive ingredients or unsavory substitutes. They are almost impossible to regulate.
China Central Television's undercover investigation report features the shirtless, shorts-clad maker of the buns - called baozi - talking about how the product was sold in a neighborhood in Beijing's sprawling Chaoyang district.
The hidden camera follows the man, whose face is not shown, into a ramshackle building where steamers are filled with the fluffy white buns, traditionally stuffed with minced pork.
The surroundings are filthy, with water puddles and piles of old furniture and cardboard on the ground.
"What's in the recipe?" the reporter asks. "Six to four," the man says.
"You mean 60 percent cardboard? What is the other 40 percent?" asks the reporter. "Fatty meat," the man replies.
The bun maker and his assistants then give a demonstration on how the product is made.
Squares of cardboard picked from the ground are first soaked to a pulp in a plastic basin of caustic soda - a chemical base commonly used in manufacturing paper and soap - then chopped into tiny morsels with a cleaver. Fatty pork and powdered seasoning are stirred in.
Soon, steaming servings of the buns appear on-screen. The reporter takes a bite.
"This baozi filling is kind of tough. Not much taste," he says. "Can other people taste the difference?"
"Most people can't. It fools the average person," the maker says. "I don't eat them myself."
The police eventually show up and shut down the operation.
China has made recent public crackdowns on food and product safety standards. The former head of the country's food and drug administration was executed last week after he was found guilty of taking bribes to approve antibiotics and other substandard medicines.
This kind of thing has been going on for years and it's just receiving attention in the Western media. Two years ago, I read on AP that pig farmers were feeding grinded up leather to their pigs in China. I heard poultry from China will soon be coming to a supermarket near you. I hope they label them 'cause I won't buy them. I've been noticing alot of frozen fish from China lately. I don't trust the quality.
How could this be in a Communist run country. Maybe the State has not had enough time to create their utopia, kind of like the Democratically controlled New Orleans.
Sounds disgusting, but could be useful for dietary fiber.
Not a ping.
It’s still gotta be better than Top Ramen.
They’ll probably be executed.
Man, that is one nasty nikuman.
Somewhat akin to New Orleans’ meatpie.
Hmmmm.... baozi!
I cannot post separate paragraphs. All paragraphs come together, when I post. Can anybody give me a clue what I am doing wrong?
I just came back from the market where I spent far too much time looking through the cases of frozen shrimp for anything from the U.S.A. No luck, so I will simply boil the ones I did buy (Thailand) until they are like chewy rubber bands. I used to trust the FDA to do these steps for me. More government with less safety. We are on the wrong road with our trading partners for sure.
I also bought toothpaste, Tom of Maine. Expensive but made in the U.S.A.
Hey what’s the big deal?
I’ve had lots of hamburger buns that tasted like cardboard.
He could advertise these as low-carb, high fiber, health food buns and make a killing here at home!
We had these every Wednesday in high school.
(Chinese crappy seafood killing us)
Crooked chinese commie$ laughing...
What's that in my trout?
feces, feces...
What's this all about?
free trade free trade
The water there is brown
Crappy, Crappy
sewage in the ground
where "your" veggies grow
brown and yellow slime
Chinese crappy seafood killing us...
(Chinese crappy seafood killing us)
Crooked chinese commie$ laughing...
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Cardboard - It’s What’s for Dinner!
(paid for by the PRC Dept of Forestry Products)
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