"fresh" Chicken And Fish From Local Market...

[webworldly]

Greetings!

I hope that you find this to be an interesting question / thread.

After posting a similar question regarding vegetables in the farmer's forum....and after seeing the rather scary responses (indicating lots of pesticides are used on the veggies)....my mind turned to meat.

'Cause me luuuuuvs me chicken and fish!

My question is.....at the local open air markets....is the chicken and fish different in terms of source (where it comes from) and is it different in quality than chicken or fish from "super markets" like Tops, Tesco, or Carrefour?

Regarding the local market chicken and fish....what (if any) "unnatural" agents do you think might be used in the process from "seed to market"? For instance, are the chickens pumped full of steroids?

Hmmmm.....and as for the fish.....is it "farm raised" (fish breeding farms)...or is it, for the most part, caught straight from the ocean?

Any other thoughts on the "non beef" meats here? (chicken and fish)

CHEERS!

D

[sutnyod]

My question is.....at the local open air markets....is the chicken and fish different in terms of source (where it comes from) and is it different in quality than chicken or fish from "super markets" like Tops, Tesco, or Carrefour?

In the big supermarkets it's probably a wider variety. You can find anything. However, there are increasingly products there that claim you can trace them back to the farm.

Regarding the local market chicken and fish....what (if any) "unnatural" agents do you think might be used in the process from "seed to market"? For instance, are the chickens pumped full of steroids?

Thai people tell me Formaline is used, but I cannot believe that, because I am allergic to it and have had never a reaction from seafood or chicken meat. But it's a common belief. However, pumped.... try to go to any given market VERY early and you will see that the chickens and turkeys are actually literally pumped (full of air). That's why they look so round.

Hmmmm.....and as for the fish.....is it "farm raised" (fish breeding farms)...or is it, for the most part, caught straight from the ocean?

??? You cannot farm ocean fish. But go south of Bangkok and you will find lots of shrimp farms.

If you are concerned about your health, go shopping in the "Golden Place", they specialize in organic and safe products and also are a heaven for vegetarians.

[leisurely]

I can remember a news item from a couple of years ago about wet markets using salbutamol in their meat to make it look red. I am sure it was that - same stuff as asthma inhalers.

[Matthew31140]

It appears as though this is more common than first thought. Take a look at this link about a study titled:- "Effects of Salbutamol in Swine Diets on Quality and Salbutamol

Residues in Pork after its Withdrawal of from the Diet for Seven

Days before Slaught".

Apparently "Meat colour had a higher redness with salbutamol supplementation, and

water holding capacity".

http://www.tropentag.de/2006/abstracts/lin...ha_ffwFncPc.pdf

According to this it is illegal to apply Salbutamol. But how can it be Policed??

I think I'll stick to Chicken from now on. But saying that I do like a nice Pork kebab.

Edited April 30, 2007 by Matthew31140

[Clipped]

borax is used to preserve some of the vegetables if im not mistaken of the chemical name...jusco is pretty bad about using it, i once bought a watermelon that stayed crisp one week after i bought it...out of the fridge.

as far as chemical fertilizers, as an example, you can buy a head of spinach at foodland, and after one week in the fridge you will see the chemicals crystalize on the leaves.

my ex girlfriends sister had a shrimp farm downsouth, and the use of antibiotics to cure sick shrimp is a pretty normal thing to do down there, one time she asked for some shrimp but her sister said it wasnt safe, because there was too much antibiotics in the water at that time.

[Jockstar]

I think the prawns come from the same farms. I must say the markets have been cheaper and just as fresh. Same with mussels and clams. I miss Bangkok for the cheap seafood.

[soundman]

My brother in law owns a chicken farm that turns out 400,000 Units per 45 day cycle. That's from chick to two kg's in 45 days.

The farm is under liscense from CPF foods company. They supply so many anti-biotic and growth hormone substances to add to the food that the mind boggles. My brother in law swears he would never eat a chicken grown on his farm.

Cheers,

Soundman.

[Clipped]

i really appreciate that Soundman, ...i will never again touch CP chicken knowingly...

[soundman]

i really appreciate that Soundman, ...i will never again touch CP chicken knowingly...

Personally, I avoid it like the plague. Even slowed right down on eating KFC.

Some doctor friends have even put forward the notion, that as we eat so much product with high levels of anti-biotics, our level of resisitance to ab's is getting to a point that when we actually need them they will be useless in actually assisting the body to fight off bacterial assaults.

Food for thought,

Soundman.

[cdnvic]

??? You cannot farm ocean fish

You can but I never buy farmed fish knowingly as it gets full of sea lice.

[wadsy]

??? You cannot farm ocean fish.

As a matter of fact you can farm ocean fish. They manufacture a large 'pen' for want of a better word, that floats in the ocean and every day the fish, that they 'farm' inside it are fed. The pen is secured to the ocean floor with weights so it does not drift away. I have seen tuna, salmon and other pelagics grown in this manner................

[Luckydog]

Stopped eating KFC Chicken when I found out how cruelly the poor creatures are killed.

Google KFC Slaughter methods and see for yourself.

[ronw]

The only way to avoid antibiotics, hormones,steroids,preservatives, anti oxidants,colouring matter,injected water...flavour enhancers,and all like crap....is to grow your own....feed them yourself,....then kill and prepare them...yourself...

Otherwise...try and find an organic source which you can trust...........now excuse me whilst I have hysterics .........................

[chownah]

I believe that ALL of the chicken that is sold at Big C comes from agro-industrial companies.....but you can also get this at local markets too but the people who sell it will tell you the company it came from as they don't try to keep it a secret....I think that by and large Thai people don't consider factory raised chicken to be inferior to open range chicken...they see it as a different product and each has qualities which sets it apart from the other. Free range chicken tastes different from factory raised chicken...I like them both (flavor and texture wise...I don't really care for the conditions and diet of the factory raised birds)...they are just different....in my view.

Chownah

[webworldly]

My brother in law owns a chicken farm that turns out 400,000 Units per 45 day cycle. That's from chick to two kg's in 45 days.

The farm is under liscense from CPF foods company. They supply so many anti-biotic and growth hormone substances to add to the food that the mind boggles. My brother in law swears he would never eat a chicken grown on his farm.

Cheers,

Soundman.

Yikes, Soundman.....that is a "stomach churning" (lol!) report. I'm wondering if there are any other perspectives yet to come on this thread, or if the consensus is going to end up with as dire an outlook on the "healthfulness" of local grown veggies and meat.

Anyone with a more positive outlook (based on facts)?

CHEERS!

D

[lotus eater]

My question is.....at the local open air markets....is the chicken and fish different in terms of source (where it comes from) and is it different in quality than chicken or fish from "super markets" like Tops, Tesco, or Carrefour?

In the big supermarkets it's probably a wider variety. You can find anything. However, there are increasingly products there that claim you can trace them back to the farm.

Regarding the local market chicken and fish....what (if any) "unnatural" agents do you think might be used in the process from "seed to market"? For instance, are the chickens pumped full of steroids?

Thai people tell me Formaline is used, but I cannot believe that, because I am allergic to it and have had never a reaction from seafood or chicken meat. But it's a common belief. However, pumped.... try to go to any given market VERY early and you will see that the chickens and turkeys are actually literally pumped (full of air). That's why they look so round.

Hmmmm.....and as for the fish.....is it "farm raised" (fish breeding farms)...or is it, for the most part, caught straight from the ocean?

??? You cannot farm ocean fish. But go south of Bangkok and you will find lots of shrimp farms.

If you are concerned about your health, go shopping in the "Golden Place", they specialize in organic and safe products and also are a heaven for vegetarians.

Is this "golden place" for real or just you mocking. If it exists, please give details of location.

??? You cannot farm ocean fish

You can but I never buy farmed fish knowingly as it gets full of sea lice.

Where do you buy your wild fish???

[leisurely]

There is an organic supermarket out at Chang Wattana road. Meat and veg available.

[sutnyod]

If you are concerned about your health, go shopping in the "Golden Place", they specialize in organic and safe products and also are a heaven for vegetarians.

Is this "golden place" for real or just you mocking. If it exists, please give details of location.

Of course it is real . There is one outlet on Silom in one of the bigger shopping-cum-office buildings towards Chongnonsri. One is near Pracha Uthit and Ekkamai. Another on or near Ram Intra. I see many more when I go criss-cross Bkk. These shops sell also products from the Royal projects as well as organic everything (ranging from rice to shampoo). Usually you have also vegetarian restaurants attached AND ... no drunkards, no beer shops. For veggies you have even a bigger selection than the supermarkets. I like "ban ok" food, such as coconut mark and lotus stems. Golden Place is the only place I can always get those. And the fruits..... yummie! (although recently they had those strange mangoes that were ripened with a text on their skin; they read like : love you, kiss, great etc.)

There don't seem to be newer links, so just have a look here: Golden Place

[Clipped]

it makes more sense now why so many chickens die when the avian bird flu strikes...45 days isnt much to develop an immune system....

also

if anyone remembers the CP commercials during the height of avian bird flu....CP would like for you to believe the chickens are only raised in their 'controlled' facilities.

anyone know about Saha farms chicken?

[lotus eater]

There is an organic supermarket out at Chang Wattana road. Meat and veg available.

Is this in or anwhere near Chiang Mai? (That's where I live).

If you are concerned about your health, go shopping in the "Golden Place", they specialize in organic and safe products and also are a heaven for vegetarians.

Is this "golden place" for real or just you mocking. If it exists, please give details of location.

Of course it is real . There is one outlet on Silom in one of the bigger shopping-cum-office buildings towards Chongnonsri. One is near Pracha Uthit and Ekkamai. Another on or near Ram Intra. I see many more when I go criss-cross Bkk. These shops sell also products from the Royal projects as well as organic everything (ranging from rice to shampoo). Usually you have also vegetarian restaurants attached AND ... no drunkards, no beer shops. For veggies you have even a bigger selection than the supermarkets. I like "ban ok" food, such as coconut mark and lotus stems. Golden Place is the only place I can always get those. And the fruits..... yummie! (although recently they had those strange mangoes that were ripened with a text on their skin; they read like : love you, kiss, great etc.)

There don't seem to be newer links, so just have a look here: Golden Place

Apologies for questioning your seriousness - the name 'golden place' raised my eyebrows. However my hopes were dashed when I saw it was all in BKK; I live in Chiang Mai. Wonder if you have any info about such a thing here.

[Matthew31140]

Stopped eating KFC Chicken when I found out how cruelly the poor creatures are killed.

Google KFC Slaughter methods and see for yourself.

Yeah pretty grose. I know this is slightly off topic but I found the following website quite informative: www.kfccruelty.com

I think from now on I'll stick to Burger King!!

Edited May 1, 2007 by Matthew31140

[sutnyod]

Is this in or anwhere near Chiang Mai? (That's where I live).

I will try to ask around next time I am there (next week), but you have an entirely other and viable alternative there: the je-je market. It is in the mornings of each Saturday and Wednesday(?) - not sure, could be Tuesday though... But you have to be early. It's a nice atmosphere, and the farmers come themselves to sell their stuff. And those farmers are for REAL (checked them and know some from their villages). Its also a good place to take your kids, because at last the times I was there, they had some info booths as well. I attach a picture from je-je market.

Apologies for questioning your seriousness - the name 'golden place' raised my eyebrows. However my hopes were dashed when I saw it was all in BKK; I live in Chiang Mai. Wonder if you have any info about such a thing here.

No offence taken.

[lotus eater]

Is this in or anwhere near Chiang Mai? (That's where I live).

I will try to ask around next time I am there (next week), but you have an entirely other and viable alternative there: the je-je market. It is in the mornings of each Saturday and Wednesday(?) - not sure, could be Tuesday though... But you have to be early. It's a nice atmosphere, and the farmers come themselves to sell their stuff. And those farmers are for REAL (checked them and know some from their villages). Its also a good place to take your kids, because at last the times I was there, they had some info booths as well. I attach a picture from je-je market.

I would certainly like to try the je je market. But roughly where is it? (Living slightly outside CM, and then for not much over a few months, I am far frpom familiar with every nook and cranny.) Is there much there that's (reliably) free from chemicals, factory farming, etc?

Thanks for taking the trouble for providing this info - and any other that you promise to dig up.

My instinct tells me that Chiang Mai should be as good as anywhere in Thailand for having such food available; but I need to locate the places.

[sutnyod]

I would certainly like to try the je je market. But roughly where is it?

Well, I usually just flag down a song teow and tell him to take me to Je Je. I don't remember any landmark, except that there are little pavillons that sell things from the Royal projects opposite to it and it's reasonably close to Tesco Lotus. Does that help?

Is there much there that's (reliably) free from chemicals, factory farming, etc?

Yes, everything is fresh and organic and sold by the farmers themselves. They also let you try (for Kanom for instance). But the range is not as big as in the "Golden Place" and towards noon there is almost nothing left.

[lotus eater]

I would certainly like to try the je je market. But roughly where is it?

Well, I usually just flag down a song teow and tell him to take me to Je Je. I don't remember any landmark, except that there are little pavillons that sell things from the Royal projects opposite to it and it's reasonably close to Tesco Lotus. Does that help?

Your clue coincidentally was perfectly timed. I happened to pass a sign saying 'J J Market' just today - and soon after emerged near the Tesco on superhighway. That must be the vicinity anyway. I have a look on Saturday.

Thanks again.

[gharknes]

I have been to many open markets and apart from the smell the safe storage is none existant, the chicken pork etc is just sitting there in the heat of the day surrounded by 1000's of flys, surly supermarket must be healthier.

[kmart]

Stopped eating KFC Chicken when I found out how cruelly the poor creatures are killed.

Google KFC Slaughter methods and see for yourself.

Yeah pretty grose. I know this is slightly off topic but I found the following website quite informative: www.kfccruelty.com

I think from now on I'll stick to Burger King!!

If you want a bit of background of the whole fastfood industry's code of practice, you should read journo Eric Schlosser's rather damning account of it all in his book; "Fast Food Nation" link(wiki)

Tbh, KFC gets of rather lightly compared to some others.

[lotus eater]

I have been to many open markets and apart from the smell the safe storage is none existant, the chicken pork etc is just sitting there in the heat of the day surrounded by 1000's of flys, surly supermarket must be healthier.

In general I entirely agree with you. But I'm keen to try this particular market (JJ) because it purports to sell organic and fresh stuff sold by the growers themselves. I can't find organic meat, fish or fruit in supermarkets or elsewhere. Though I have found non-chemical vegetables, eg doi kham at airport plaza 3 days a week; and sometimes non-battery chicken at carrefour - but that's all so far.

[swain]

??? You cannot farm ocean fish

You can but I never buy farmed fish knowingly as it gets full of sea lice.

mmmmmmmmmmm sea lice

[raslin]

Scots farmed salmon sells well and tastes good.

Perhaps the sea lice wear kilts