Food preservatives, additives and other off putting things.

[mathewjg]

This is my 4th visit the Thailand and now there are a few things that are making me think twice about returning. The most off putting is the use of illegal preservatives and pesticides that are outlawed in much the rest of the world and very dodgy fish and prawn farming practices. It really needs a European tv company to come out here and do a documentary and then see how quickly tourist numbers drop. I come here with my wife to enjoy the weather, food, people etc but really....the sea quality, stinking drains, polution, corruption, closing bars when there is an election, people throwing rubbish on any spare bit of greenery, building sites with heavy lorries everywhere, traffic lights that do not consider pedestrians, broken and dangerous pavements, lack of any planning rules. I could go on but inspite of all that and more we have had a great time here and met so many interesting expats and long term holiday makers plus some very decent Thais. I do like countries that have a bit of an edge to them but just the thought of eating food from the market that has been treated with Formaldahide (not sure about the spelling) is very off putting.

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[thailiketoo]

The proof food additives ARE as bad as we feared.

Gee you are right. Those food additives are awful. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-453431/The-proof-food-additives-ARE-bad-feared.html

I'm changing my travel plans today.

Edited March 24, 2014 by thailiketoo

[swissie]

Live in a rural area, surrounded by Thai-Farmes. This is what they do: A smaller plot of their land is reserved for their own food (no chemicals will be applied there). The major part of their land will be used to grow crops to be sold on the local market. On this part of the land, heavy use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides is common practice.

Enjoy your meals, with fresh vegetables from the local market !

Cheers.

[wym]

> It really needs a European tv company to come out here and do a documentary and then see how quickly tourist numbers drop.

This will never be allowed to happen, plenty of Thai laws to protect their businesses would be applied, there's no freedom of speech here when powerful interests are threatened.

Plus the illegal measures they can bring to bear with impunity, trying to do something like this would be physically dangerous.

[Cosmo88]

Sorry for my ignorance, but how do you know what food has has been treated with Formaldehyde ?

[tim armstrong]

I still think most market food in country areas is relatively free from chemicals - it is where we live. But supermarket vegies, pork and chicken, is fast losing it. Next time you go into any large supermarket here, check the carrots, and ask yourself why they all look exactly the same ? Then go to a market and see the difference. But compared to many western countries, fresh food is still good away from cities.

[mathewjg]

Hi Cosmo 88. There have been a few news articles here on Thai visa. In one report over 53% of markets were using formaldehyde. Specifically mentioned were mushrooms,, sea food and meat. If meat is in the sun it should dry out but when it's been treated it will look plump and fresh. One suggestion was to see if food had a slightly chemical flavour then avoid, which is a bit difficult when its served in curry etc

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[thailiketoo]

Hi Cosmo 88. There have been a few news articles here on Thai visa. In one report over 53% of markets were using formaldehyde. Specifically mentioned were mushrooms,, sea food and meat. If meat is in the sun it should dry out but when it's been treated it will look plump and fresh. One suggestion was to see if food had a slightly chemical flavour then avoid, which is a bit difficult when its served in curry etc

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Nonsense. Never any factual information about Formaldehyde on food. Go ahead, make my day. Prove me wrong. Feel free to list a link instead of rumor mongering.

[circusman]

Can't live forever. Relax your rules a bit.

[Krataiboy]

Sorry for my ignorance, but how do you know what food has has been treated with Formaldehyde ?

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/396653/food-vendors-criticised-over-formalin-use

or just do a Google on formaldehyde in Thai food.

[thailiketoo]

Hi Cosmo 88. There have been a few news articles here on Thai visa. In one report over 53% of markets were using formaldehyde. Specifically mentioned were mushrooms,, sea food and meat. If meat is in the sun it should dry out but when it's been treated it will look plump and fresh. One suggestion was to see if food had a slightly chemical flavour then avoid, which is a bit difficult when its served in curry etc

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Nonsense. Never any factual information about Formaldehyde on food. Go ahead, make my day. Prove me wrong. Feel free to list a link instead of rumor mongering.

Sorry I was wrong and you were right. I'll start washing my fresh food better.

[mathewjg]

Hi circusman. Yes I am relaxed about not living forever but even more relaxed in the knowledge that with all the illegal preservatives in my body, it will not decompose for years.

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[bonobo]

I saw a tv show once where a food inspector made "fresh" sausage with rotten meat. The meat was very obviously bad before it was cut up, but by using formaldehyde and some other processes, the sausage looked fine, and the reporter smelled it and said it smelled fine. This process has been done in most western countries, and probably is still done to an extent, but it is almost assuredly done in many third world countries, Thailand included, This is one of the reasons why I buy most of my meat as Villa or Tops, and I buy quite a bit of imported meat. I do get some meat at the local market, but from a vendor who has full carcasses delivered daily, and I ask him to cut my choice from the carcass.

Food-borne illnesses are a fact of life throughout the world, and there is no getting around the fact that no matter where you live, you will be ingesting things you should avoid. However, I think it is prudent to minimize the bad the best you can.

[ezzra]

Nobody should delude them selves that in the so called first world countries they don't load our foods

with the same stuff albeit more cleverly disguised, all you have to do just read the label and google

the ingredients and you will be shocked at what you find....

[Cosmo88]

Hi Cosmo 88. There have been a few news articles here on Thai visa. In one report over 53% of markets were using formaldehyde. Specifically mentioned were mushrooms,, sea food and meat. If meat is in the sun it should dry out but when it's been treated it will look plump and fresh. One suggestion was to see if food had a slightly chemical flavour then avoid, which is a bit difficult when its served in curry etc

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Nonsense. Never any factual information about Formaldehyde on food. Go ahead, make my day. Prove me wrong. Feel free to list a link instead of rumor mongering.

Sorry I was wrong and you were right. I'll start washing my fresh food better.

I buy my food only from Tesco Lotus or Big C. Is that also risky?

What about "organic" labelled food?

Would Villa Market's "organic" stuff be better in this respect?

[HUAHIN62]

When you return to Europe please do yourself the favour of reading and investigating food labels in your own country. There are many food preservatives that are legal in Europe but which you won't eat if you know what it realy are. Next have look what is going into your processed foods and bread. Have a look what is fed to European cattle, sheep and chickens. Hope you enjoy your "safe" European food on your return.

[thailiketoo]

I wash my vegetables in acetic acid and have a charcoal filter on my kitchen water. I marinate almost all my meat in something that contains a small amount vinegar or alcohol or citrus juice. I don't know if this does any good. I make all my own burgers with L&P sauce mixed in. Who knows.

[mathewjg]

Haha techboy. So when you get the emergency text message "evacuate immediately - sumani on the way" take no notice as they clearly do not know what they are talking about. You seem to bè pretty well educated so remind me what is the safe dosage for 4malderhide? Assuming there is a safe limit do you really believe market traders have the means to measure and correctly apply. Ideally I would want someone like you to be there scrutinising every move but in your absence we can depend on the market inspector - there is one surely?

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[thailiketoo]

Haha techboy. So when you get the emergency text message "evacuate immediately - sumani on the way" take no notice as they clearly do not know what they are talking about. You seem to bè pretty well educated so remind me what is the safe dosage for 4malderhide? Assuming there is a safe limit do you really believe market traders have the means to measure and correctly apply. Ideally I would want someone like you to be there scrutinising every move but in your absence we can depend on the market inspector - there is one surely?

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The Thai Department of Health collected 275 food samples from two fresh markets and three weekly markets in Muang Nakhon Sawan, Tha Tako and Chumsaeng districts. Of the samples, 102, or 37%, contained contained formalin.

That is from the article quoted above.

[masuk]

How about honey.? Thai friends tell me it's difficult to buy pure honey, as most has had sugar added.

[peterb17]

One has to ask- why on earth do you do come here? The chances of anything you eat here having any effect on your health are negligible.

Every week we seem to get more health scares in the West- the list is endless. What on earth goes into those Isaan sausages you buy from the roadside I shudder to thnk- but they taste rather good!

Just enjoy life- don't worry.

Your life expectancy etc is built into your genes.

but maybe:

If you live in a city would suggest you buy breathing apparatus- the pollution will get you in the end.

[Rorri]

thailiketoo, on 24 Mar 2014 - 19:16, said:

The proof food additives ARE as bad as we feared.

Gee you are right. Those food additives are awful. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-453431/The-proof-food-additives-ARE-bad-feared.html

I'm changing my travel plans today.

What surprised me is that a US company "Campbell's, have, in the west, removed, many years ago, MSG, but it is still put in their products here in Thailand. I guess the health of consumers is not a priority only when public opinion places pressure on them.

[Rorri]

Cosmo88, on 24 Mar 2014 - 22:48, said:

Sorry for my ignorance, but how do you know what food has has been treated with Formaldehyde ?

It's easy, when you die your body won't decompose as quick as it should.

[uffe123]

when you die form eating the food you dont have too worry about being embalmed you all ready are.

[mathewjg]

Its true that western foods have additives and preservatives but there are thousands of people lobbying for improvement and that's probably why formalin is banned. So is arsenic etc.I can't understand any argument in favour of using except from market traders who can make food that is well past its best still look saleable. Its not just e numbers , growth hormones etc its about adding a banned substance that is proven to cause cancer

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[masuk]

thailiketoo, on 24 Mar 2014 - 19:16, said:

The proof food additives ARE as bad as we feared.

Gee you are right. Those food additives are awful. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-453431/The-proof-food-additives-ARE-bad-feared.html

I'm changing my travel plans today.

What surprised me is that a US company "Campbell's, have, in the west, removed, many years ago, MSG, but it is still put in their products here in Thailand. I guess the health of consumers is not a priority only when public opinion places pressure on them.

I bought some cans of Campbell's soup in Chiang Mai a year, back, but the taste was so totally salty, it reminded me of some Asian food which had a large amout of MSG added. I had no way of knowing if this was the case, but I wrote to Campbells asking why their product was almost inedible.

Guess what? I didn't get a reply.

[deepcell]

European or American food is not better than Asian food, especially Thai food. Since what you see is a lot of chubby americans eating humburgers, pastas, and whatever fat and unhealthy food. But it is quite normal there and nobody is doing nothing about. But in Thailand, everything is wrong? huh? what did you say?

Thailand was not colonized by europeans and it still being the same wild as it always was. just growing in proportions.

At least in Thailand you do not see fat people rolling all over as you see in US.

[nuananddon]

Stop worrying so much, that is bad for your health, so is a world that is starving to death because some people want revert to 1920's farming technics. There is a very hungry world out there and with newer technology they are getting fed. Population worldwide is expanding fast and the only way to keep them from going hungry is with new methods of farming. I believe that nearly all chemicals now used have been tested as safe, if in doubt wash your produce. I know I'll get fried for this comment because there are people who don't know shit about farming but are all experts when comes to food production.

[mmh8]

I love this stuff, take plasticisers in Europe and the US they try to ban them on the off chance - it is as a preventitive measure- that they could harm health or children.

In China they have no such problem with these plasticisers, they like them so much they add them to food and carbonated drinks

?

[mmh8]

double post

Edited March 26, 2014 by mmh8