Patties Foods tests fail to find any hepatitis A

Weevil · Guru

How Safe Is Our Food ???

deverall11 · Guru

Thanks for the info. More reasons as to why we need better labeling here.
Larry

Weevil · Guru

Hope it was of some help Larry, we took a couple of cans of John West Tuna (you've seen the ads, we only keep the best in so many words) out of the van from one of our trips.....

Read the fine print, "made in Thailand" (not sure how you make fish, but that was the words on the can).

-- Edited by Weevil on Monday 13th of April 2015 08:31:15 PM

Cloak · Guru

Me and the little wobbler make sure we have the reading glasses on when we visit a supermarket.

If the labelling is ambiguous then it goes back on the shelf.

Takes a bit of time but.

Thanks for the info Vic.

Weevil · Guru

Seems to be getting that way Cloak where you have to read everything, some not what they seem to be.

hako · Guru

I find it strange that many on this forum drive vehicles made in Thailand and sing their virtues, visit this forum on their Chinese made laptop, make phone calls on their Chinese made mobile phones without a single complaint yet bemoan the fact they are offered Asian origin food products.

D and D · Guru

Nice one Denis

Pete49 · Senior Member

Denis I think its because we don't eat our vehicles and laptops. I have always made a point of not buying food processed overseas ( or the sneaky use of NZ) due to the lower safety and health standards. I have no problem buying foreign non edible products not that we have a lot of local product choice left.
Pete

hako · Guru

Whilst I do not eat or buy the foods in question, I do like to look at both sides of the coin - does anyone have actual experiences of food poisoning or Delhi belly from consuming these foods?....you can bet your bottom dollar that most restaurants, cafes and take-away joints source the cheapest food irrespective of origin and this will no doubt be Asian so everytime you pay for prepared food you probably are eating Asian manufactured food. Standard order fish and chips at a cafe will be Basa fish from Vietnam and pre-cut chips from New Zealand. If you order Barra no doubt it will be sourced from Indonesia.
The new Pacific Free Trade agreement means we will see more and more foods of questionable origin. With all these free trade agreements I reckon some countries will try to have country of origin removed from labelling rules as it could discriminate against them.

Good Luck.

Santa · Guru

hako wrote:
Whilst I do not eat or buy the foods in question, I do like to look at both sides of the coin - does anyone have actual experiences of food poisoning or Delhi belly from consuming these foods?....you can bet your bottom dollar that most restaurants, cafes and take-away joints source the cheapest food irrespective of origin and this will no doubt be Asian so everytime you pay for prepared food you probably are eating Asian manufactured food. Standard order fish and chips at a cafe will be Basa fish from Vietnam and pre-cut chips from New Zealand. If you order Barra no doubt it will be sourced from Indonesia.
The new Pacific Free Trade agreement means we will see more and more foods of questionable origin. With all these free trade agreements I reckon some countries will try to have country of origin removed from labelling rules as it could discriminate against them.

Good Luck.

I have similar feelings Hako.

The media make a practice of reporting the isolated case in a sensational manner designed to create hysteria amongst the wider population.

I have no problem eating imported food, none of my family or friends have ever been adversely affected by it.

Of course the economic side is another matter altogether, those who are happy to pay a substantial premium for Aussie produced are welcome to do so. smile

johnq · Guru

Consumers need to be cautious. In the recent scares concerning food from China, serious health problems were reported,

http://tinyurl.com/plav6wh

Many of the public were surprised to learn that the government doesn't sample check imported foods*. Food safety checks are the responsibility of the importer. Is there a food/grocery chain that makes public its testing program, if any?

Labelling of source and contents is not satisfactory according to independent testers such as CHOICE.

*the same could be said about products as some consumers have learned through experience. Defective electrical cabling is a recent example.

I didn't see the 60Minutes program, so I cannot comment on that.

-- Edited by johnq on Tuesday 14th of April 2015 03:15:42 PM

Santa · Guru

johnq wrote:
Consumers need to be cautious. In the recent scares concerning food from China, serious health problems were reported,
http://tinyurl.com/plav6wh

-- Edited by johnq on Tuesday 14th of April 2015 03:15:42 PM

Another sensationalist media beat up .

Interesting that in the listed

COMMON CAUSES OF FOOD POISONING most relate to poor food handling and preparation techniques by the consumer, in other words in most cases we poison ourselves because of stupidity or laziness.

People would do well to take note of the following list before becoming hysterical about media reports. smile

TWELVE GOLDEN RULES OF SAFE FOOD HANDLING

Safe food handling is essential for preventing the

spread of germs and disease in the

kitchen. Remember to keep the following rules in mi

nd whenever you prepare or

cook food, in order to keep your family healthy and

free from disease.

1. Always wash your hands thoroughly before you sta

rt preparing food.

2. Do not handle food with bare hands use gloves

instead.

3. Do not handle food if you are sick or have cuts

or sores on your hands.

4. Keep hot foods hot (>60°C) and keep cold foods c

old (<5°C).

5. Defrost food in the fridge or microwave.

6. Do not refreeze thawed food.

7. Store food appropriately.

8. Do not overload the fridge.

9. Clean and sanitize your cooking or storage area

after preparing or storing raw

food.

10. Never smoke in food areas.

11. Clean the entire cooking area regularly and tho

roughly.

Weevil · Guru

There is a big difference between food poisoning through bad food handling and food sold on the shelves that is contaminated and sold as safe to eat.

I for one am grateful for the warnings put out by the media, otherwise how else would we be informed ?

I don't see how that is being hysterical, better than burying your head in the sand.

-- Edited by Weevil on Tuesday 14th of April 2015 09:06:56 PM

Santa · Guru

I'm wondering if anyone subscribed to this thread personally knows anyone who has been adversely affected by imported food? I have a wide group of friends, none of them have had a problem.

Not burying my head in the sand, simply making the point that most cases of botulism originate in the home caused by poor hygiene and food storage. smile

Weevil · Guru

No I don't know of anyone who has got sick from overseas food products, but then most of the people I know read labels and avoid those from the countries mentioned, I would say at a guess that some of the people you know probably do also.

It all boils down to a choice, avoid the foods that are suspect, or don't worry about it and take the risk. I'll settle for avoiding them.

I agree that most local food poisoning comes from poor hygiene in the home (but the people I know have good hygiene habits) and sometimes by local people in fast food/restaurant outlets etc not keeping food as they should or their hygiene habits handling food also.

The Phantom · Guru

Santa wrote:
The media make a practice of reporting the isolated case in a sensational manner designed to create hysteria amongst the wider population.

Perhaps a better description would be "designed to sell newspapers or increase viewers to doubtful current affairs TV shows"

The Phantom

Weevil · Guru

A couple of links to Seafood labelling articles, one dated December 2014 and one posted only today;

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-19/seafood-inquiry-labelling/5978730

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-15/greenpeace-calling-for-seafood-labelling-laws/6394376

Santa · Guru

And now this! confuse

Patties Foods tests fail to find any hepatitis A

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/news/patties-foods-tests-fail-to-find-any-hepatitis-a/story-e6frg906-1227305021229

rockylizard · Guru

johnq · Guru

Santa wrote:
johnq wrote:
Consumers need to be cautious. In the recent scares concerning food from China, serious health problems were reported,
http://tinyurl.com/plav6wh
-- Edited by johnq on Tuesday 14th of April 2015 03:15:42 PM
Another sensationalist media beat up .
Interesting that in the listed
COMMON CAUSES OF FOOD POISONING most relate to poor food handling and preparation techniques by the consumer, in other words in most cases we poison ourselves because of stupidity or laziness.
People would do well to take note of the following list before becoming hysterical about media reports.
[snip]

You missed the point, which is that the public should be able to buy food from a supplier, supermarket, independent shop or whatever, knowing it is safe to eat regardless of the origin.

It is true that consumers are rightly wary of foods from countries where the methods of production and handling and the agriculture and food laws are nowhere near Australia's standards.

The public shouldn't be obliged to rely on country of origin as a proxy for food safety. However, in the absence of comparable agricultural practices and comparable regulation and inspection in other countries, Australians do pay attention to the cited origin. The problem then is that the statements of origin are misleading, or at least very few people can understand what they mean. All suppliers know that 'Australia' on the label attracts a price premium.

As for food contamination and safety, only small percentages of foods might be tested and then not for bacteria. The system is already substantially self-regulated by importers (and they would say by their suppliers self-regulate), an honor system. The red flag that something is amiss is reactive, by the somewhat slow process of doctors/hospitals reporting serious sicknesses.

Consumers do want to make informed choices about the food they eat. They do not want choice taken out of their hands. That is especially important to those with infants or any with compromised health.

The Phantom · Guru

You missed the point, which is that the public should be able to buy food from a supplier, supermarket, independent shop or whatever, knowing it is safe to eat regardless of the origin.
It is true that consumers are rightly wary of foods from countries where the methods of production and handling and the agriculture and food laws are nowhere near Australia's standards.
The public shouldn't be obliged to rely on country of origin as a proxy for food safety. However, in the absence of comparable agricultural practices and comparable regulation and inspection in other countries, Australians do pay attention to the cited origin. The problem then is that the statements of origin are misleading, or at least very few people can understand what they mean. All suppliers know that 'Australia' on the label attracts a price premium.
As for food contamination and safety, only small percentages of foods might be tested and then not for bacteria. The system is already substantially self-regulated by importers (and they would say by their suppliers self-regulate), an honor system. The red flag that something is amiss is reactive, by the somewhat slow process of doctors/hospitals reporting serious sicknesses.
Consumers do want to make informed choices about the food they eat. They do not want choice taken out of their hands. That is especially important to those with infants or any with compromised health.

You also miss the point.

Why do you insist that food from Australia is safe? What evidence do you have that ALL food processed in Australia is to the highest possible standard and that ALL other sources are suspect ?

Your argument is flawed.

The Phantom

Ontos45 · Guru

"You also miss the point.

Why do you insist that food from Australia is safe? What evidence do you have that ALL food processed in Australia is to the highest possible standard and that ALL other sources are suspect ?

Your argument is flawed."

Maybe it's because Australian growers don't use human manure as their growth medium.

The Phantom · Guru

Maybe it's because Australian growers don't use human manure as their growth medium.

So, cow, horse or sheep crap is far more safe to eat than human sh*t.

The Phantom

-- Edited by The Phantom on Thursday 16th of April 2015 03:12:05 PM

Santa · Guru

Human waste is a safe fertiliser: Australian expert.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/human-waste-is-a-safe-fertiliser-expert-20130701-2p5wz.html

03_Troopy · Guru

It may be poo to you.... but it's bread and butter to him...

johnq · Guru

The Phantom wrote:

You missed the point, which is that the public should be able to buy food from a supplier, supermarket, independent shop or whatever, knowing it is safe to eat regardless of the origin.
It is true that consumers are rightly wary of foods from countries where the methods of production and handling and the agriculture and food laws are nowhere near Australia's standards.
The public shouldn't be obliged to rely on country of origin as a proxy for food safety. However, in the absence of comparable agricultural practices and comparable regulation and inspection in other countries, Australians do pay attention to the cited origin. The problem then is that the statements of origin are misleading, or at least very few people can understand what they mean. All suppliers know that 'Australia' on the label attracts a price premium.
As for food contamination and safety, only small percentages of foods might be tested and then not for bacteria. The system is already substantially self-regulated by importers (and they would say by their suppliers self-regulate), an honor system. The red flag that something is amiss is reactive, by the somewhat slow process of doctors/hospitals reporting serious sicknesses.
Consumers do want to make informed choices about the food they eat. They do not want choice taken out of their hands. That is especially important to those with infants or any with compromised health.
You also miss the point.
Why do you insist that food from Australia is safe? What evidence do you have that ALL food processed in Australia is to the highest possible standard and that ALL other sources are suspect ?
Your argument is flawed.

The Phantom

"Why do you insist that food from Australia is safe?"

I didn't say that. You are putting words in my mouth. On the other hand the Australian label attracts a premium (which is why sellers want it on the products). Why do you imagine that is so?

However the issue is proper labelling.

"So, cow, horse or sheep crap is far more safe to eat than human sh*t."

No-one is proposing that.

03_Troopy · Guru

The Phantom wrote:
Maybe it's because Australian growers don't use human manure as their growth medium.

So, cow, horse or sheep crap is far more safe to eat than human sh*t.
The Phantom

-- Edited by The Phantom on Thursday 16th of April 2015 03:12:05 PM

It may not be safer to eat, but it's easier to light if you want to smoke it..

The Phantom · Guru

Johnq, are you a politician?

You are now denying what you are inferring.

Again, a reasonable discussion gets dragged down to a point scoring exercise.

I'm outta here(thread not Forum)

The Phantom

johnq · Guru

Santa wrote:
Human waste is a safe fertiliser: Australian expert.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/human-waste-is-a-safe-fertiliser-expert-20130701-2p5wz.html

You need to examine the conditions and withholding periods for use and the limitations on the suitable crops and other uses.

What evidence do you have that farmers in 2nd and 3rd world countries can be expected to always apply those conditions?

What Australian consumers need to be assured of (and I did state it earlier) is that those conditions are being met and there is evidence of that.

The Australian government is saying that it does not have the money and is forced to limit inspection, so it puts the onus on importers - who then put it back to the suppliers in the foreign country.

The Aussie public want proper food labelling, which shouldn't be a big ask, but apparently it has been for many years.

johnq · Guru

The Phantom wrote:
Johnq, are you a politician?
You are now denying what you are inferring.
Again, a reasonable discussion gets dragged down to a point scoring exercise.
I'm outta here(thread not Forum)
The Phantom

I am denying what I am inferring? You are channeling your feminine side. biggrin

I come from a farming background. There is a lot we just don't do here that small operators in 2nd and 3rd world countries do as usual practice. The public in Australia pay more the Australian brand. The public have reasons for that and suppliers should be required to label products properly.

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.

Patties Foods tests fail to find any hepatitis A

Human waste is a safe fertiliser: Australian expert.

Human waste is a safe fertiliser: Australian expert.