I have done a bit of research on some of the canned goods sold at dollar stores and various discount stores and am starting to question whether they have a place in our preps or not.
Alot of the canned food products seem to be packaged in China which on the surface is ok. Where the research comes in is that there doesn't seem to be any strict guidelines in place in regards to proper cleaning/decontamination of the implements and machinery used when switching products.
I realize that there are some regulations in place, but how diligent the govt is enforcing these regulations is my issue. Upon reading China's FDA equivalent's documents, they are saying that they won't have all the proper measures in place until 2015.
Anyone here have the same type of info, or am I misinformed/misunderstanding?
Thanks, AP
Tongue in cheek.... given the recent outcomes in Canadian food production (listeria) and the many recalls for e coli and other contaminations as well as the ongoing dilution of our standards and enforcement I would humbly say that the only food you can really trust is what you put down yourself. Some things are better than others of course. The closer you get to the natural state the better I believe they will be. Pasta's, grains, beans, rice... that sort of thing is at less risk. The more highly processed it is, the more chance of contamination.
If you have some time, this is an interesting read. I have spent hours doing the same thing as you AP
Government of Canada Guide to Food Labeling and Advertising. It talks about food grading and out of country sources as well as a whole lot of other things.
I made it a rule to NOT buy food at the dollar store. If it says Made in China in any other store I find an alternative. I have to agree with JustABear - simply, less processed and preferably what you grow yourself are the safest bets.
Interesting link oldschool - I'll check it out!
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I must admit that when I started putting away food, I used the dollar store as a resource. I still purchase many food items from there, and up to now, have not given much thought as to where it was packaged. Given some of the issues with items coming from China, I guess I should be paying more attention. That being said, I am looking forward to purchasing a pressure canner this summer/fall and want to can some of my garden produce. Also, in dealing with commercially canned items, I have thrown some things out after opening and noticing foul smells, discoloration, or other issues. No matter where you get preserved food from, always give it a quick inspection before consuming. Getting food poisoning can be a real pain in the gut now, but deadly post SHTF.
About 5 years ago I stopped buying any from China unless I absolutely had to. With all the recalls on Chinese products with lead, melamine, or whatever else they decided to throw in to cut costs, I decided that my family's health and safety just wasn't worth it. At first it was somewhat difficult, but it seems that more non-Chinese options are available now, so I'm sure that many other people voted with their wallets too.
As much as it pains me, I'll still buy something made in China if I have no alternative and can't do without, but I'll never again buy any food product or anything that comes in contact with my food if it comes from China.
As an aside: One thing to keep in mind as you consider "Chinese policies" as related to food production/preservation or even just commodity production, is that the companies who produce those goods in China are mostly American-owned multinational corporations, and ultimately what they do to your food/goods is determined by the bottom line in America, NOT China. Chinese people (or Indian people, or Mexican people etc.) are just like you and I, they love their families and are concerned about their health and well-being. But they need jobs just like the rest of us, and do what they have to do to get by when there are slim alternatives. How many North Americans work in questionable industries like finance, oil & gas and other resource industries? How many people "on this side" of the pond act in a completely moral way as they work their everyday jobs? Just think for a moment before you bash a people group/nation/culture (and no, I'm not Chinese).
That said, we personally believe in growing/producing as much as possible ourselves, then in buying organic and local first, followed by local, followed by organic. We don't buy processed or canned food, we only buy food from the "outside walls" of the grocery store: dairy, meat, veggies. We buy our grain (wheat, oats, barley etc.) from local farmers through Briden.
It definitely takes more work to prep/cook/put up our own food, but we feel we are healthier and supportive of local agriculture, and we believe strongly in local food rather than ripping off farmers in faraway places who don't get paid enough to live because they sell their produce to multinationals who need to keep the price down on food that is shipped/trained/trucked all over the world to people who don't know better.
Food has a real cost, whether it be in the time and energy put into growing/cooking/putting it up yourself, or a fair wage to the producer when you can't do it yourself. North American (and the rest of the 1st world's) dependence on "cheap" has got us into the current world financial situation, and people have simply got to learn to live more responsibly/sustainably on this planet.
Very good point - there is a REAL cost to food. There is an interesting blogpost at http://grammomsblog.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/the-future-of-food/ .