A Chinese food expert writes a letter exposing malpractice in the industry

Epocjh Times
Mar 14, 2010
By Wang Qian & Yu Lian
Sound of Hope Radio

A food processing industry veteran in China’s Hubei Province had a letter published last week exposing what he regards as severe food safety problems in China.

Published in the Wuhan Daily News on March 7, Li Deshou’s letter has since been widely quoted by many Chinese bloggers. He pointed out that food safety issues are terrible and widespread, and that authorities have to take immediate action.

Mr. Li, Chairman of the Grain Association in Guangshui City and Vice Chairman of the Grain Association in Suizhou City, has been in the food processing industry for 17 years and has been directly involved in selling rice.

He stated that almost all of the rice sold in Wuhan from Suizhou has been polished with soybean oil. “Polishing rice with soybean oil has become a common under-the-table practice for some unethical plants.”

Oil added to rice becomes rancid easily and can therefore cause harm to the human body if eaten. Some unethical processing plants even use industrial oil; the potential consequences of this practice can range from damage to the digestive and neural systems to death, according to Mr. Li’s letter.    more …