6 Shocking Reasons Why You Can Never Trust “Organic” from China

Multiple recent reports exposed- many of conventional foods that manufactured in China as fake also toxic.

Many scams involve rice  contains plastic, some fake eggs made of chemicals and food items containing high levels of arsenic.

Congress (for meat), removed country-of-origin labeling. Big struggle do companies to find new sources of food to satisfy  growing demand for organics in the United States. It may be that organic food could come from China or other countries,  rather than U.S. farmers.

1.Organic Products from China Can Contain an Unlimited Amount of Heavy Metals

Certified organic  mean that the producer cannot add pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals and other toxins while growing the produce, but there are no rules about the outside environmental factors as pollution.

A farmers in China may use water with mercury or chemicals  and still  keep the organic label. Many parts of China have been experiencing extreme pollution, a lot of its water is heavily polluted. But because of the lack of traceability compared to U.S. organic farms means it is a hard time finding out any more information on how it was grown.

2. China Has Almost No Environmental Regulations

China is on the edge of a complete environmental disaster. Lack of regulation and country  experience record air pollution in Beijing. Studies have shown that at least 40% of rivers are polluted, 90% of groundwater, reported The Guardian. About 1/5 of the country’s farmland is polluted.

The water is so polluted and the prove of it is that a few years ago, an eyeglass-retailer executive dared a local environmental protection chief Bao Zhenming. He offered him to swim in a river for 20 minutes for more than £20,000. Bao has declined.

Same water  may be used to water the “organic” crops.

Many companies are honest and wise when it comes to growing organic produce . Besides, it is nearly impossible to know who to trust.

3. Agencies and Government Departments in China are Not Operating Properly

Guangzhou Daily reported when consumer wanted to inform someone about fake organic produce, they were bounced between four government departments. But, before finding out that none of them had the authority to deal with this.

Meanwhile the USDA is trying to keep track of all the shipments coming from China . They reported several shipments of organic beans and berries. They were full of unsafe pesticides. Chinese side approved the shipment without following regulations.

Many china farmers grow food by buying organic certification paperwork illegally and then grow foods in a non-organic way.

4.Supplements and Herbs from China Are Often Contaminated with Lead

Herbs absorb heavy metals easilydue to many have detoxifying properties. For example, that chlorella from China was most contaminated with aluminum, arsenic, cadmium and lead.

Also not organic, many conventional green tea companies illegally used banned chemicals. organic certification in China should not be trusted.

5. Corruption: China Has Forged Organic Certification Label and Other Documents

There are Rumors spread around for years about companies in China forging documents. And in 2011 USDA released evidence of a fraudulent organic certificate made by a non-certified company. Firm was using fake certification to pass non-organic soy, millet and buckwheat as organic, by the Cornucopia, the nation’s farming watchdog.

6. Organic Products in China are Often Certified by Third-Party Agencies

Chinese Organic Certification Center (COFCC) Is in charge of certifying organics in China. But reports say that they only inspect 30% of products. Rest are inspected by private third-party firms.

Because of lack of certifiers to meet the need ,organic products imported to the US( that  are supposed to be certified by a USDA certifier)the USDA relies on hiring third party certifiers in China. There is case certifier from China provided the paperwork which do not physically confirm that the organic food complied with the organic regulations.

It is wise to avoid food from China altogether, even if it has the “organic” stamp on it, until better regulations are enforced in China, and the country resolves its pollution problem.

Chinese “Organics” at Whole Foods?

According to a 2008 investigation by a news station in Washington, D.C., Whole Foods in particular sells a ton of organic products from China. The company’s organic “California Blend” even came from the country, before this investigation came out and forced Whole Foods to change.

Whole Foods said in 2010 that it stopped sourcing frozen veggies from China in its own line of products, except for edamame.