China destroys Ikea cake, Nestle chocolate

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

BEIJING (AP) - Chinese authorities say they have destroyed nearly two tons of chocolate cake imported by Sweden's Ikea for violating food quality standards.

The Shanghai quarantine bureau said this week that Kraft cream cheese and 2.7 tons of Nestle chocolate bars also were among dozens of imported products destroyed in its latest round of quality inspections.

Chinese authorities have stepped up food inspections in recent years after a series of scandals over fake or shoddy goods.

The disclosure in December that suppliers of KFC violated rules on drugs use in poultry caused sales for the restaurant chain to plunge. KFC estimated sales in January dropped 37 percent and the company announced tighter quality control measures in an effort to win back customers.

FULL story at link.



Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20130305/DA4QT9L83.html

[formercia]

1. In other News.....

A sharp rise in health issues due to extreme obesity among Shanghai Civil Service Workers and their families have Authorities Worried.

[Remmah2]

2. FOOD FIGHT!

[img][/img]

[pipoman]

3. Too bad we aren't as diligent

on the poison they like to send here, eh?

[ananda]

34. My thought exactly!

I found myself laughing out loud at China's hypocritical diligence here.

[bonzotex]

4. "Destroyed" right into a Party warehouse

I'm having a hard time beliving the Chinese officials are suddenly becoming hyper vigilant about consumer food safety.

I also think it is interesting that Ikea feels it is economically sensible to ship tons of chocky cake 1/2 way around the planet.

[sybylla]

28. Me too. I bet it's as much about forcing these companies to set up factories in China.

Oh, you're shipping your stuff all the way across the Pacific? Well, why don't we just make sure you make no money that way.

Who the hell is China to tell anyone that food imported from first world countries isn't up to snuff when the shit they send out of their country quite often violates our safety requirements.

But, peace is war and up is down.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. OMG...the irony.

[Auggie]

10. My thought too

[Javaman]

6. This reeks of BS.

In a nation that is known for poisoning it's own people they are now worried about imported food?

[IADEMO2004]

30. Well said. Public Relations Stunt, theft of goods, missed bribe payment,who knows.

The Shadow Knows.

[leftyladyfrommo]

7. You can't breathe the air there or drink the water

and they are worried about cake?

[AAO]

8. Their own poison cake bakers can't compete with foreign brands.

[jsr]

32. China has their own famous name brands

[wordpix]

9. nestle's choc = almost pure sugar ---good move to "destroy" it

altho I doubt that happened.

[JVS]

11. Was this Ikea cake made of sawdust? How bad do you have to be to fail China's food quality standard?

[prole_for_peace]

14. It was made of ground glass and arsenic.

Which are probably common ingredients in China. They didn't welcome the competition.

[mac56]

16. DUZY material!

[EC]

12. They now have better food inspection then we

do, I'll bet.

We are laying off inspectors and basically eliminating any testing because of cuts and repub trying to kill the department and let the industry self inspect. As we can see from China we can't trust industry.

[cali]

26. I'll bet anything you are wrong.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_safety_incidents_in_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China

[EC]

29. That's in the recent past

we have now cut the inspections and are going to again with this susquestor...I could be wrong, but I'm getting to the point where I am uncertain about most things any more.

[Mz Pip]

13. This from the country

that puts flame retardants in baby food.

[prole_for_peace]

15. Is China the pot or the kettle? n/t

[OhioChick]

17. This is rich coming from China n/t

[Beacool]

18. China has a quality inspection bureau?

Really? They sure as heck don't give a crap about the contaminated junk they sell to the rest of the world.

I'm sure that any of these products that they destroyed was of higher quality than what they sell. How many recalls have there been for Chinese products contaminated with lead and other toxins?

They also have some of the most polluted cities, air and rivers in the world.

[jsr]

19. Because they didn't have enough industrial dye, melamine, formaldehyde, recycled drainage oil

and sawdust to meet Chinese food standards.

[L0oniX]

20. AP? Don't make me laugh. n/t

[Renew Deal]

21. The quality was too high

[Canuckistanian]

22. Not enough cadmium?

Or maybe the lead content was too low?

[Nay]

27. Didn't have any melamine?

[Sunlei]

23. Coliform bacteria cake and excessive sorbitol (wtf is any sorbital tolorated?) Nestles

Are these even tested for in American prepacked foods? Why is a known problem sweetner in any amount still used in chocolate?

[Trillo]

24. from wikipedia

Sorbitol is found in apples, pears, peaches, and prunes

[alp227]

25. China should take a look in the mirror and fix its OWN food first. n/t

[notadmblnd]

31. What it didn't contain enough Cesium or Melamine?

[Jamastiene]

33. You have GOT to be kidding me!

The country that sends so much lead/melamine/styrofoam laden food to other countries and damn near poisons half the dogs and cats (pet food) in the US with their crap low quality practices has the audacity to claim something could be wrong with chocolate "quality" standards from anywhere else? Give me a fucking break.

I will believe China cares about quality the minute something made there lasts more than a day or two before breaking or they can export pet food ingredients that will not poison half the world's pets.

[pampango]

35. Uh-oh, IKEA withdraws almond cakes in 23 countries after excessive level of coliform bacteria...

Ikea withdraws almond cakes due to 'faecal' bacteria


Ikea's withdrawal of almond cakes from its stores in 23 countries follows closely behind the withdrawal of meatballs due to horsemeat being found in them.

The Swedish furniture giant Ikea has withdrawn almond cakes from its restaurants in 23 countries after bacteria normally found in faecal matter was discovered.

Ikea said 1,800 Tarta Chokladkrokant cakes – described as an almond cake layered with chocolate, butter cream and butterscotch – were destroyed in December after being intercepted by Chinese customs officials. It said it was carrying out a full investigation with the supplier to ensure it would not happen again.

Coliform bacteria, found in the environment and in the faeces of humans and warm-blooded animals, are not normally the cause of serious illness. But the retailer has not yet been informed of how high the levels of coliform bacteria were in the destroyed cakes.

Ikea said in a statement: "There is no health risk associated with consuming this product. However, since the product does not comply with our strict food quality standards we have decided to withdraw the concerned production batches from sale in the 23 affected countries. The UK and Ireland are not affected."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/05/ikea-withdraws-almond-cakes-faecal-bacteria

"The UK and Ireland are not affected." I realize this is a UK-based newspaper. I wonder if the US is affected or is one of the 23 countries from which the product was withdrawn.