China’s Food safety issues: A critical look into the tainted pork industry
Between 1998 and 2007, China acknowledge 18 outbreaks of food related clenbuterol poisoning, and during the milk scandal of 2008, six babies died and 200,000 fell ill after consuming infant formula contaminated with melamine. Many critics of the livestock production industry have also noted the blatant use of antibiotics, growth hormones and low-grade animal feed, some of which were not suitable or even legal to be used as animal feed.
“The Australian” one of Australia’s largest news publishers reported that in early 2011 one hundred people that included a dozen government employees were sentenced to imprisonment due to a food scandal that was related to chemical laced pork product. The scandal involved several producers base in Henan province, numerous government officials and, Shuanghui Group, one of China’s largest food processor firm. Convicted producers were charge with using the fat burning drug clenbuterol that would make meat leaner but is poisonous for human consumption. Clenbuterol causes nausea, dizziness, headaches and heart palpitations in humans. However, pig farmers were incentivized to use it as it yields leaner meat, which is more expensive than fatty meat.
This scandal also exposed the corruptibility of regulatory bodies within China’s food chain and the demise of business ethics. Xinhua News a Chinese online news agency reiterates that among those convicted were government employees that included animal health inspectors and food safety officials, they were convicted of negligence of duty and abuse of power. The clenbuterol poisoning case has not since been exterminated, instead as of the end of 2011 close to one thousand people from 63 cities nationwide have been convicted for the usage and sale of clenbuterol tainted meat products.
China’s Business ethics
In recent years public discontent has been on the rise supported by the numerous revelation of deadly food scandals. Many including international and domestic media often attributed it to rampant corruption throughout China’s bureaucracy. It is often the case that many will focus on blaming China’s political system, one however have to acknowledge that there is an apparent deterioration of morality in China’s so called market economy.
Two state ideology provided guidance within China’s traditional society – Confucianism and Communism. Confucianism teaches citizens that wealth has to be accumulated through rightful means, the Confucius adage states “A man of noble character acquires his wealth by just and ethical means”. The Maoist regime then emphasizes on “sacrificing the individual self to the collective”, this provided a moral check on people’s behavior.
The Cultural Revolution has since wiped out fundamental core values of Confucianism from modern day China. While the rapid reform from a centrally planned economy to a market economy suggest that notions of collectivism and selflessness introduced by communism is seen as irrelevant and obsolete. Materialism and Consumerism is now the drivers of decisions within all institutions of China. China’s currents state of decision drivers is a reflection of the words of the late political and reformist leader of the Communist Party of China, Deng Xiao Ping “To be wealthy is glorious”. Although materialism is also common in the west, religious views, well-enforced rules and regulations help define what is acceptable in business.
Food Safety: Changes, Suggestions, and Recommendations
The China Food Safety Law was introduced in June of 2009; this regulation was aimed at addressing the use of unauthorized food additives within the entire food chain and to raise the general safety level from ‘farm to fork’. But implementation of this law has been hindered by inefficiency and corruption. China’s recent administrative overhaul and one party system suggest that ‘check and balance’ mechanisms were absent. The deficiency is even more apparent for provinces that were far away from Beijing, the center of the Chinese political power.
Today’s Chinese consumers live in a state of fear and distrust with the domestic food system. Despite the introduction of more stringent food safety polices and reassurances from the Chinese government, many would rather pay more for organic food products or imported foods. However, such products are often unaffordable for the average Chinese family. Even governmental bodies have a huge distrust with its own food systems. The China Posts reported in 2010 that all elites within the Chinese bureaucracy were known to consume mostly organic food produces and products. Chinese Olympic athletes were also advised by the National Sports committee to consume only organic sources of food.
Although addressing China’s qualitative challenges within China’ food system is not an easy task, a slew of structural changes could lead to much-needed change within China’s food system. Below are some recommendations that could be considered by the Chinese government:
1. Ensure that regulatory agency such as the Provincial Food Inspection Agency have proper “Check and Balance” Mechanisms that could detect corruption
2. Set up ethical review panels throughout all provinces evaluating business and governmental practicing. Ensure ethical legislations are in place for all business and that they are enforce properly.
3. Introduce better food safety regulations and inspection practices by learning from food safety practices of the developed world that have a high track record of food safety. Eg Canada, Singapore, Europe