FSIS Approves Chinese Chicken For Export To U.S.
By Laurel Maloy, contributing writer, Food Online
Not everyone is crowing about this development — the end of August saw four chicken-processing plants in China receive approval from FSIS to export cooked chicken products to the U.S.
Poultry is easily one of the most talked about and hotly-debated issues in regard to food safety. In fact, as of late, the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and the associated New Poultry Inspection System (NPIS) seems to always be in the limelight.
Most recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has approved the export of cooked chicken from China to the U.S. The raw chicken, raised and slaughtered in Canada, Chile, or the U.S., is cooked at processing facilities in China before being packaged, labeled, and returned to the U.S. According to a March 2013 FSIS audit, China’s export health certificate is in order.
Furthermore, four Chinese chicken plants that were audited were found to be operating with the same level of regulatory compliance as U.S. plants. The four approved, chicken-processing facilities are in the Shandong province, located in the Eastern coastal regions of China. The Shangdong Delicate Food, Weifang Legang Food, and Quingyun Ruifeng Food Companies, as well as the Qingdao Nine-Alliance Group will all have the opportunity to realize big profits from doing business with the U.S.
Though this news is fairly new, a Change.org petition has already been signed by 327,611 supports at the time or writing. Coordinated by Nancy Heuhnergarth and Bettina Siegeal, the petition, entitled Congress: Keep Chinese Chicken Out of Our Schools and Supermarkets is still actively seeking supporters, with another 172,389 needed. The petition cites China’s “unusually troubling” record on food safety, pointing to such well-publicized incidents as melamine-tainted milk and high levels of mercury found in baby formulas in China.
A letter drafted and signed by numerous members of the House of Representatives also expresses the fears inherent in any type of food trade with China, citing the above incidents, along with several others. The most telling is the fact that last year China Central Television reported that a Chinese poultry supplier provided Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants in China with chickens fattened with large amounts of illegal drugs. This, though, is not relevant at this precise moment, as the chicken currently in question is not raised or slaughtered in China, but is imported only for processing. What is concerning is that these members of the House feel it necessary to give voice to the fact that this newest trade alliance could open the door for accepting raw-poultry products from China.
The letter also points to the fact that there will be no on-site inspectors in these Chinese plants. This, they feel, provides the possibility for Chinese-raised and slaughtered poultry to be processed and shipped to U.S. shores. This is not out of the realm of possibilities based upon the FDA’s presence and Michael Taylor’s recent speech at the China International Food Safety and Quality Conference. Though Taylor expressed a need for at least eight more inspectors in China, wanting and getting are two different things.
What may be most pertinent to food processors here is that these cooked chicken products will be labeled upon leaving China — however, once in the U.S., they can be repackaged and distributed throughout the supply chain with no one being the wiser.
The letter from the House seems to be giving a thumbs-up to COOL labeling as a means by which to prevent this from happening. The letter also addresses, quite blatantly, the conscience of the members of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the Subcommittee on Agriculture, the FDA, and other related agencies. One paragraph, on the second page, clearly states the “troubling ramifications” if American children are fed Chinese-processed chicken through the federal nutrition programs. Another goes on to talk about children being the most vulnerable and sensitive to potentially dangerous adulterants and contamination.
The letter closes by restating the “serious potential threat to public health in the United States.” The signing members urge Congress to include language in the Fiscal Year 2014 Agriculture Appropriations bill that will prevent Chinese-processed chicken from being used in any federal nutrition or lunch programs.
The global food-supply chain provides opportunity and variety like never before; the world, at least in terms of food supply, seems to be growing much smaller. But, is ensuring a safe food supply keeping step? Food traceability and accountability will be tantamount to identifying the source for adulterated or contaminated food products. Rapid Whole-Genome Testing and DNA Barcoding, though once touted as the food safety vision for the future, may, in fact, signal that the future is here. Is your facility ready?