US store chain Trader Joe's barring some Chinese imports

[Celebration]

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/11/business/NA-FIN-US-Trader-Joes-China.php

LOS ANGELES: Trader Joe's will stop offering some Chinese-grown food products because of customer concerns about safety, the store chain announced Monday.

Garlic, frozen organic spinach and other "single ingredient" food items from mainland China will be phased out by April 1, although products that include ingredients from both China and other sources will remain.

The company believes the foods are safe but "we will continue to source products from other regions until our customers feel as confident as we do about the quality and safety of Chinese products," Trader Joe spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said in a statement.

Mochizuki did not indicate how long the products would be off the shelves or how many items were affected.

..................

Representatives of Whole Foods Market Inc., Kroger Co. and Safeway Inc. did not immediately return calls seeking information on their product lines.

I don't think we have Safeway stores in my area, but I think I'll be calling the other two. Unfortunately we don't have Trader Joe's either.

[abluelady]

1. Thanks for the Heads Up

TJ's is coming to my town soon! :)

[fed-up]

2. people need to complain to Trader Joe's about unnecessary packaging on produce-huge waste nt

[jemsan]

3. They should also do away with recommending microwaving in plastic...

no one knows for sure if this is safe and many, many of their products have this recommendation. Apparently, dioxin may leach into the food.

[chicagomd]

5. That sounds like something I read in a spam email once...

Ah yes, here we go:

http://www.plasticsmythbuster.org/dioxins.asp

http://www.lifescript.com/channels/healthy_living/news_bites/doctors_dispel_dioxin_hoax.asp

http://www.jhsph.edu/dioxins

[grasswire]

4. my favorite frozen veg mix is gone

It was delicious. Asparagus, edamame beans, spinach, broccoli and green beans -- it was called "Green Envy" and I loved it. From China, they said a couple of months ago when I asked about it being missing.

[Celebration]

8. Whole Foods

Whole Foods took over our Wild Oats and they replaced all the great Cascadian Farms frozen vegatables with crap from China I think. I'm a bit peeved over that. The muffins aren't as good either and they never have sales on salmon anymore.

[OnionPatch]

6. Good for Trader Joe's!

I try to do all my shopping there when possible.

[yy4me]

7. Very Interesting, I'd post this is "Cooking & Baking" group, more

folks would see it.