The Recipe of China's Food Safety Crisis by Huang Shuo

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Tainted melamine milk powder, salted duck eggs containing cancer-causing dyes, artificial honey, fake wine, donkey-hide gelatin, waste oil, sulfur steamed ginseng, plaster tofu, dyed bread...the list goes on. 

Sadly, many people estimate that the list will get longer. Every day we worry about the next food time bomb exploding, we just do not know where the site of the blast will be. 

In the past, my impression of Chinese enterprises was in copyright fraud, counterfeit brands, later spreading to other areas like toxic toys. The food industry now faces its own serious problem. 

Food fraud, like other fraud, plays a harmful role, because it directly threatens the health and safety of consumers. Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Qishan attended the two sessions (the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference) in 2011, stating that he felt shameful there have been food safety issues. 

So the tragedy continues to unfold. The public is so angry with denunciation and condemnation, but can do little to stop the recklessness of the fraudsters. 

Behind the crisis, I believe, hides a lack of rule of law and a crisis of faith. 

From an economic point of view, food counterfeiters have individual rationalization, if the illegal gains exceed the costs, it will be worth it. Law depends on cost and the probability of investigation and punishment (including fines and criminal penalties). It should be said that there are enough laws, rules and regulations on food safety, and the key is the implementation. 

In law enforcement, two points are worth noting: 

First, because of low salaries of law enforcement officers, offering bribes is relatively easy. As a result, law enforcement officers in the chain have become corrupt. With the protection of law enforcement officials, counterfeiters will be more reckless. When the industry becomes open to "hidden rules," the role of law enforcement officers becomes numb or powerless. 

Secondly the issue of symbolic punishment needs addressing Food Safety Law stipulates that compensation should be offered up to a maximum of ten times the value of the food. This will have little effect on profit-driven businesses. 

Only when citizens can get huge compensation through legal action will the food safety system really affect the behavior of enterprises. 

Every day there seems to be another scandal. The department responsible for quality inspection is either in serious dereliction of their duty and should be severely punished, or has colluded with the counterfeiters allowing this fraud to exist for a long time. 

Improving law enforcement effectiveness on food safety must be a multi-pronged approach: First, regulators must dare to expose the ugly. Second, the offender must not be tolerated, not just by punishing the individual offender, to avoid selective enforcement. The media should be given more freedom to act in timely and effective manner monitoring fraud. Finally, law enforcement must crack down on collusion. 

As food safety affects the interests of each person, and may even threaten social stability, it should arouse the attention of the government. The problem that exists for ordinary people is simply: what can we safely eat today?

Taken from: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2011/05/the-recipe-of-chinas-food-safety-crisis/

Gladys Lim

0901188C

I say Dim, you say Sum.

Dim Sum originated from Southeastern china, particularly from Canto or Hongkong. 
The meaning of dim sum in Cantonese means "Dot of the heart" or "the heart's delight".
There's many varieties in dim sum, now let me just focus down to one particular food that most people loooooooooooooove.

THIS!

I'm sure everyone know what is that,
What?!
You don't know what's that?
You have not seen it before?
Oh no, I think you miss out the best part of the all-time-favourtie in DIM SUM!
The food is .......
*DRUM ROLLS*
*DRUM ROLLS*
*DRUM ROLLS*







It is Steamed Sticky Glutinous Rice With Chicken!
It is also known as Lor Kai Mai in Cantonese, and for the Chinese, we called it 糯米饭.
In the Southeastern china they usually have it as a brunch which is between breakfast and lunch.
The traditional Glutinous Rice with Chicken is wrapped in a louts leaf, this is to enhance the flavor of the louts leaf to allow it have a aroma of it in the product. It is normally wrapped into a triangle or rectangular shape.


If you don't know how does a Lor Mai Kai wrapped in Louts leaf look like, here you go!

and for the commercial Lor Mai Kai, it is normally in aluminium case or plastic case.
it be found easily at Supermarket ,NTUC and Sheng Siong,  most coffee shops and dim sum restaurants.



So reading so much about Lor Mai Kai, feel like doing it yourself?!
YES, you can do a home-made Lor Mai Kai toooo!
ALL YOU NEED IS
 glutinous rice, soak the rice.
Chinese mushroom, soak it.
Chicken, marinate
Chinese sausages, remember to peel the outer skin!
The required seasonings.

And lastly steam it!

Okay, there isn't any recipe here, it's just the basic required ingredients because I have not try cooking it myself.
But you can always find the actual recipes in the net or cook book!
Do try it and have your very own DIM SUM ! :)

SAY YAY TO DIMSUM! :) 

Felicia Goh 0901982I

我爱食糯米鸡！！

After Jesslyn's introduction, 
I would like to talk more about this delicious Dim Sum, 
LOR MAI KAI.

Please repeat after me, 我  爱  食  糯  米  鸡！！

                           Ngo  ngoi  xig  lor  mai  kai !!

Well done, you just learn a new cantonese phrase! 

(applies to non-cantonese speaking friends.)

It means I love to eat Lor Mai Kai in cantonese.

Yes, yes. 

This sentence is so true to me especially during Secondary 4 days.

I remembered during Sec 4, Lor Mai Kai is one of my best friends, besides my notes and TYS. Every time during recess, I will run down to get my Lor Mai Kai and smuggle up to my classroom to eat. ^^

The reasons being that it is 

tasty, 

fast (cos its ready-to-eat), 

sold by the stall with the shortest queue and 

CHEAP ($1 ONLY)!

However, little did I expect that I will be researching on its nutrition facts. 

Here it is :

Source: Health Promotion Board

The nutrition facts here show that this food is quite high in its cholesterol and high in its sodium value. This is because >20% DV is considered as 'High'. Fortunately, the dietary fiber is high too. The rest of the nutrients are considered 'medium'. 

Looking at this, I was quite shock as I have been eating this high sodium, and relatively high cholesterol food for almost ONE WHOLE YEAR! Constant intake of this kind of high sodium and cholesterol food will cause one to fall ill with disease such as Hypertension, Cardiovascular disease, Obesity, etc. Luckily, I am still quite healthy now. Maybe it is due to my active participation during P.E. 


Hence, an advice to all people who are mugging for their examinations/tests/quizzes, don't be blinded by the 'benefits' of this fast and cheap food. You might pay a higher price later! 
So, 
DO NOT CONSUME LOR MAI KAI AS YOUR MEAL DAILY!!


However, you can still take it, as a snack for about 2 to 3 times a week. 
For those who still can't stop eating it, one good advice is to balance your energy intake with energy output (EXERCISE)! 
(this also applies to all human being out there who need air, food and water)

P.S. Do you know that we have to do a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity for 5 or more days a week. It can be walking, cycling, swimming, doing housework, etc. So do help out in your daily housework to maintain an ideal body weight! Your mommys will feel happier too! :)

Chan Mei Jun (Cindy) 0902991I

Lor Mai Kai: Heart of Dim Sum

Before I start with this post, I would like to ask you all a question. 

Are you a FAN OF DIM SUM?? :D

I am happy to say that I AM A FAN OF DIM SUM ! :D :D

I am not a Cantonese though :P

Today I am going to talk about Lor Mai Kai (pronounced in Cantonese) ~!

In English, it is called steamed glutinous rice with chicken in lotus leaf wrap.

 In Mandarin, it is named as 糯米雞 (Nuo Mi Ji)

AHA! THIS IS THE ONE! :D

This is the original Cantonese version of Lor Mai Kai. 

It consists of GLUTINOUS RICE with CHICKEN, CHINESE MUSHROOM, CHINESE SAUSAGE and sometimes DRIED SHRIMP. 

And it is wrapped in a dried leaf and steamed. 

Doesn't this sounds like the ingredients in dumpling? :P

This type of Lor Mai Kai is usually served in the Dim Sum/ Hong Kong Restaurant. 

Another variant of Lor Mai Kai is what we usually see in the normal coffeeshop is the takeaway style :)

Takeaway style is usually served with GLUTINOUS RICE WITH CHICKEN

This is with the chinese sausage!

this is with the chinese mushroom!

it's really RARE to come across Lor Mai Kai is served in this shape. Hahaha! 

Unique isn't it? :)

After seeing these photos of Lor Mai Kai, do you have the craving for Lor Mai Kai now?? :)
GO AND HAVE A YUM CHA DATE SOON! :D

Jesslyn Soh
0901026E

Product Recall

I was in love with this sweet ever since young, and for sure I would have one packet of this White Rabbit Creamy Candy in my school bag every single day. But now when you see this picture, what are you reminded of? Hmm, it should be the same for everyone who is reading this now, am I right?!

"China stops tainted sweet sales"
recalling in process...................

When everyone was notified about the recall of this sweet, I'm sure it shocked everyone! Milk, which is the key ingredient of the product was found to be contaminated with melamine, which actually cause the death of four babies. Sighs, what a poor thing isn't it?

Alright, the purpose of my post here is not to remind everyone about this, in any case that you're reading and chewing on this sweet at the same time, please, don't get affected! The sweets are safe for consumption now, unless you've bought it ancient years ago. OOPS JUST JOKING

Is anyone wondering what happens when a food product, say for example the rabbit candy, has been found causing illness/injuries to the consumers? What does the government do? What are the actions taken?

Well, that's when our Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) comes into the peekture! On top of AVA, there is U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in-charge of all food products except meat and poultry, or USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), in-charge of the safety of meat, egg and poultry. Basically, their job is to ensure the safety of us consumers, whereby they will conduct a process called the Product Recall. Referring back to the example, the rabbit candy will be removed completely from the market and will not be on sale anymore. Know why it is being done like that? It is the BEST WAY to protect us from the harm! So now, let's all express our gratitude to AVA, FSIS and FDA (:




If you wanna know more about the process of Product Recall, you can click on this url!


After being recalled, the company that produces the product will find out the origin of the problem and implement corrective actions. After the product is determined safe by the authority, the product will be released for sale again! 


I know most will try not to buy the product because all of us will definitely have this fear inside us, which will actually cause the drop in the profit of the company. It's hard to build up the trust for most of us, but gradually as time goes by, I'm sure we will again! Food safety in Singapore is very important, so the health authority will for sure protect us!


Till then!

Gladys Lim

0901188C