Do you consider sanitation issues or pesticides use when purchasing foods from foreign countries?

Question

Way before the pet food scare, I have given much thought about purchasing fish products, canned meats from some countries, juices, fresh fruits/veggies and dried fruits. Am I paranoid? Are there items I've missed? What items do you avoid?

Answer 1

If the FDA and the USDA had enough people to do their jobs, we could safely buy foods from anywhere.
Inspections have to be done on a regular, random basis to ensure food safety.
Bring our boys back and give them jobs protecting our food supplies.

Answer 2

I watch all the foods I feed to my family. I think it is admirable you are concerned too. There is nothing paranoid about it. I purchase organic foods as much as possible. I find imported aged cheese, from Europe to be a safer choice then some of local cheeses unless they are certified as organic. I purchase organic dairy products here. I limit the amount of meat my family eats and use only organic meats too. I have to say I do avoid fish that isn't from cold water. I also will not buy food items from countries I feel are not maintaining stringent health standards.

Answer 3

No, you're not paranoid. I give thought to what foreign food products I buy but the sad truth is a lot of food products from this country (America) aren't safe either. I mean samonella in ground meat (leading to hundreds of tons of meat being recalled), killer strains of e. coli in spinach and lettuce, listeria in luncheon meats (I didn't know you were supposed to cook them again before using)...not to mention all the chemicals, fecal material, insect parts, and the like.
The truth is big corporations have taken over the government and run the FDA, USDA, etc. and the politicians let them write the rules. My sister works for the FDA and told me anyone who works to serve the public interest eventually gets penalized...sent to some remote location or some other unpleasantness. Now I try to look for local produce (go to local farmer's cooperatives) and in the summer grow my own. I still buy foreign food products and corporate farm grown stuff, but I am very selective.

Answer 4

You always have to be concerned about pesticides in produce unless you buy organic items. Some fruits with thicker peels are not a big problem, like avocados, bananas and oranges.

I am a vegetarian, so I can't give any advice about canned meats or fish. I do eat products with wheat gluten in them, and I have stopped buying these from overseas.

I don't think you're being paranoid at all. We all have to be careful about what we put in our bodies.

Answer 5

I try to go macrobiotic, meaning eating only foods grown locally, or semi-locally.
To buy meat or anything expirable from another country is taking your life into your hands.
Spices, salt, truffles, wine- fine.
Meats and veggies? No way. Don't do it.
Too many disparaging rules and unacceptable limits of pesticides as well as unsanitary conditions are rampant.
Are you into risks? A stunt person perhaps?

Answer 6

its not paranoid
i was in a mexican town where the people washed their potatoes with detergent thinking this would remove contaminant ,and it does not potatoes are absorbant and what ever moisture content penetrates into the potato

,nevertheless the local doctors told me that half of the vilage was ill ,related to water contamination,

diareahs ,eye and skin complaints ,

they all got their vegetables from huge farm lands outside Mexico city which irrigated directly with raw sewage waters ,with out this first going through a decomposition process.

these huge farming operations export to the USA.,,as well as suplying Mexico city

many farmers freely use herbicides and pesticides because it is supplied cheaply by the government ,and all of them use fertilizers .

Now because of the trends in market for organic farming ,a lot of coffee and mango producers are looking at organic methods to control pests and to fertilize ,but it is still a relative new concept and by NO MEANSis the norm for the mayority of Farmers ,
other latin countries are similar

you are not paranoid ,always look for organic labels ,but the problem is that fraud exists everywhere

,Organic farming is more expensive ,although people believe it is cheaper ,

this is simply not true ,
to farm organically means one has to have trucks ,more labour ,which is more expensive ,to handle many tons of compost or mulch ,

to work with chemicals is working with kilos and a pick up truck and far less labour ,this s why chemical farming came into existance in the fiorst place ,because it was easier .

so many farmers will lie and say it is organic ,but maybe it lacks composting or/chemicals are used anyway.because of a better market price.

there are bodies ,sometimes government sometimes international who will check these things out ,but they are only random happenings .

hope this makes you sleep better.

Answer 7

actually, i consider both (and more) when buying edible products from another country. considering the country, i.e., canadian products are way less suspect than, say, asian products, south american & some european products. western european produce, while not a big thing here in the states are on the same line as canadian as their health departments work close to the same guidelines as ours here in america. i will buy non-edibles but if it generally goes on, in or near the body cavity, i do think twice. no! i don't think you're paranoid. what's the saying?...an ounce of precaution is worth a pound of cure? so true!

Answer 8

After what I've been hearing on the news lately I don't want to buy anything that comes from China. Imports of food stuffs from China should be banned until they can prove they are following US laws for food safety. One should buy local as much as possible.

Answer 9

yes. and i also consider the type and amount of packaging and the distance the product must travel to my area since this consumes energy that locally grown and wisely packaged goods do not.

the treatment of the farm workers is another concern.

i try to buy produce grown locally and grow some of my own and i try to support the growing organic industry with my shopping dollars so it will continue to grow and become more affordable for everyone.

i haven't eaten beef for years but i do eat free-range chicken and the seafood caught in the gulf of mexico becuase it is close to where i live.

Answer 10

I only buy food from other countries or from local farmers (such as those sold by the farmer itself such as at a farmer market)

I do not trust the american big business farming. It is evil.