2011年8月3日星期三

'Boiling with hatred'

Whether it is exploding melons or pigs pumped full of steroids to produce lean meat, many in China simply do not trust what is put on their dinner tables.

This worries the authorities, anxious that people will lose trust in a government if it cannot ensure the safety of what they eat.
Little Donkey Farm worker These part-time farmers are the lucky few who have the time - and money - to produce their own food

That confidence hit rock bottom three years ago when news of China's biggest food-safety scandal broke.

Melamine-tainted baby formula killed at least six children and 300,000 others fell ill.

Wang Gang is still living with the consequences. His son - Zi Yuan - developed kidney stones after being fed the baby formula.

Mr Wang continues to worry about his Zi Yuan's health. He wants justice for his son.

"I think the government needs to bear responsibility," he says, standing in his kitchen surrounded by papers and packets of baby formula which he has kept for three years.

"Our court case keeps getting delayed. I'm boiling with hatred over this but I'm trying to control myself."

The Chinese authorities have enacted stricter policies to ensure food safety.
Wang Zi Yuan Wang Zi Yuan developed kidney stones after being fed the tainted baby formula

It includes a directive from the Supreme Court calling for the death penalty for cases in which people die as a result of poor food safety.

But regulations are often flouted in China. And with food price inflation rising, some producers will continue to cut corners in order to fatten up the bottom-line.

After a hard day's work, the group of young professionals at the Beijing co-operative farm retired to an upmarket apartment.

They cooked a meal using the fresh produce they had harvested.

"It definitely tastes better when you grow it yourself," says one of them.

But they are the lucky few, who have the time - and the money - to produce their own food.

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