I was just reading this article http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070703/ap_on_...ainted_products in Yahoo News.

A quote: "Inspectors in southwest China's Guangxi region found excessive additives and preservatives in nearly 40 percent of 100 children's snacks sampled during the second quarter of 2007, according to a report on China's central government Web site.

The snacks — including soft drinks, candied fruits, gelatin desserts and some types of crackers — were taken from 70 supermarkets, department stores and wholesale markets in seven cities in the region, it said.

Only 35 percent of gelatin desserts sampled met food standards, the report said, while two types of candied fruit contained 63 times the permitted amount of artificial sweetener."

My kids love the gelatine snacks it makes me wonder about the safety of Thai snacks sold locally. Are they coming from China? Are the inspectors being bribed to look the other way? Does the Thai government have proper inspections of non export items produced here? Scary stuff but what choice do we have as parents living in Thailand. It would be cruel to not let our kids enjoy store bought snacks.

Any opinions?

pete, remember the cat & dog food problem in the US? Artificial stuff (melamine and pool cleaner) were being added to processed wet foods in order to boost the protein content. This killed quite a few people's pets. It was also introduced into pig feed and (i believe) chicken feed.

Personally, I would be very suspect of sweets here and check to make sure they aren't made in China. It should be on the package.

Also, try giving your child some of the home made Thai sweets sold in markets, bound to be a bit healthier for them than the processed stuff. (and no, I am not going to be one of those people who lecture you about not feeding your kids sweets, being the holder of a terrible sweet tooth, I can hardly be so hypocritical ).

pete, remember the cat & dog food problem in the US? Artificial stuff (melamine and pool cleaner) were being added to processed wet foods in order to boost the protein content. This killed quite a few people's pets. It was also introduced into pig feed and (i believe) chicken feed.

Personally, I would be very suspect of sweets here and check to make sure they aren't made in China. It should be on the package.

Also, try giving your child some of the home made Thai sweets sold in markets, bound to be a bit healthier for them than the processed stuff. (and no, I am not going to be one of those people who lecture you about not feeding your kids sweets, being the holder of a terrible sweet tooth, I can hardly be so hypocritical ).

Yes I pity the pet owners who had to deal with they family pet deaths. That is bad enough but I also remeber the dead babies from the fake formula. That is the most heartless thing I ever read can't they just stop at DVD's and golf clubs <deleted>. Europe and North America are taking it to the Chinese over this issue but aside from them I do't read any headlines from Asian countries showing concern. Since I work in Europe I might have to bring back snacks from the UK for my kids every three weeks.

Thanks for highlighting this. I knew nothing about it. My son has a very sweet tooth & even though I only allow him one ka-nom a day if he's eaten dinner, I'll now be super vigilant where it's come from.

I agree with sbk - get some locally made sweets. Some of those are so sweet that on the rare occasions I've tried them, they've made my teeth hurt! Also, there are some good bakeries that make fresh. Do your kids like cakes/cookies? Yes, I know (like sbk) I should be pushing fruit etc - but I also know that kids sometimes like their candies.

Thanks for highlighting this. I knew nothing about it. My son has a very sweet tooth & even though I only allow him one ka-nom a day if he's eaten dinner, I'll now be super vigilant where it's come from.

I agree with sbk - get some locally made sweets. Some of those are so sweet that on the rare occasions I've tried them, they've made my teeth hurt! Also, there are some good bakeries that make fresh. Do your kids like cakes/cookies? Yes, I know (like sbk) I should be pushing fruit etc - but I also know that kids sometimes like their candies.

just buy the kids western brand sweets as a treat ,better to bring them up on fruit ,what they dont have they dont miss you'll save on dentist visits as well

Thanks for highlighting this. I knew nothing about it. My son has a very sweet tooth & even though I only allow him one ka-nom a day if he's eaten dinner, I'll now be super vigilant where it's come from.

I agree with sbk - get some locally made sweets. Some of those are so sweet that on the rare occasions I've tried them, they've made my teeth hurt! Also, there are some good bakeries that make fresh. Do your kids like cakes/cookies? Yes, I know (like sbk) I should be pushing fruit etc - but I also know that kids sometimes like their candies.

The kids don't eat sweets at home much but they buy them after school before their bus takes them home. What they do like often even at home is the gelatin fruits (mentioned in article) I don't discourage them because gelatin is high in protien and they contain some real fruit juice. The kids doen't eat much cake but do have some Mcvities I bring back from the UK.

The scary thing to me is that while the news is reporting on products made in China who's to say the ones made in Thailand are any better.

The scary thing to me is that while the news is reporting on products made in China who's to say the ones made in Thailand are any better.

Sadly, very true. Particularly for mass produced items.

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01646.html

and don't forget dodgy toothpaste

Officials say Danbury store sold tainted toothpaste

By Dirk Perrefort

STAFF WRITER

Chantha Khotsombath, owner of the food market, said she purchased about a dozen tubes of Close-Up toothpaste for the store several months ago but hasn't distributed any of the items to other locations.

She added that she purchased most of the products for the store from Thailand, not China, where the majority of the tainted toothpaste originated.

News-Times Media