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China takes no chances on Olympic food
China
Wednesday 20 February 2008
Winters in northern China are cold, and nothing much is growing in the bare, brown earth.
But it is a different story at a farm in rural Changpin County, just north of Beijing.
Its greenhouses are full of vegetables, including peppers, pumpkins and tomatoes.
The farm is owned by one of the 36 companies that have been selected to supply food to athletes at this year's Olympic Games in Beijing. It is a model farm that uses few chemicals, has on-site product testing and employs an electronic tagging system to track its vegetables.
That is why it has been selected as an Olympic supplier. At a time when the world is increasing concerned about Chinese products, the last thing the country wants is an Olympic food poisoning scandal. A worker at the Changpin farm inadvertently revealed just how determined China is to avoid serving Olympic athletes with tainted food. As she packed vegetables, the employee suddenly realised she was not wearing the hat that keeps her hair away from the vegetables. She quickly put it on before farm manager Lin Yuan could see her.
Hygiene is a topic that it is close to Mr Lin's heart, and he seems annoyed that foreigners often question the safety of Chinese food products. "Some of the foreign media are biased against Chinese vegetables," he said. He told the story of what happened recently while he was having dinner with a Japanese banker friend. "A friend of the banker's called from Japan and asked him how he was surviving because Chinese vegetables aren't edible," recalled Mr Lin. "Says who? I eat them every day," the banker apparently told his compatriot.
'Number one issue' Mr Lin's Japanese friend may have been supportive, but the story reveals just how many foreigners are wary of Chinese food products. And many of those people are preparing to come to Beijing for the Olympics. "I think this is the number one issue facing our (Olympic) teams," said Mike Tancred, media director for the Australian Olympic Committee.
In order to prevent any food-related problems during the event, the Australians have advised their athletes what to eat, and what not to eat. "We have recommended they do not purchase food from street vendors outside the Olympic village," said Mr Tancred. The Australians are also bringing some of their own food, and have told athletes only to drink water supplied by Olympic sponsor Coca-Cola. Despite the precautions, Mr Tancred revealed that a number of Australian athletes have become sick while taking part in Olympic test events in Beijing.
But it is a different story at a farm in rural Changpin County, just north of Beijing.
Its greenhouses are full of vegetables, including peppers, pumpkins and tomatoes.
The farm is owned by one of the 36 companies that have been selected to supply food to athletes at this year's Olympic Games in Beijing. It is a model farm that uses few chemicals, has on-site product testing and employs an electronic tagging system to track its vegetables.
That is why it has been selected as an Olympic supplier. At a time when the world is increasing concerned about Chinese products, the last thing the country wants is an Olympic food poisoning scandal. A worker at the Changpin farm inadvertently revealed just how determined China is to avoid serving Olympic athletes with tainted food. As she packed vegetables, the employee suddenly realised she was not wearing the hat that keeps her hair away from the vegetables. She quickly put it on before farm manager Lin Yuan could see her.
Hygiene is a topic that it is close to Mr Lin's heart, and he seems annoyed that foreigners often question the safety of Chinese food products. "Some of the foreign media are biased against Chinese vegetables," he said. He told the story of what happened recently while he was having dinner with a Japanese banker friend. "A friend of the banker's called from Japan and asked him how he was surviving because Chinese vegetables aren't edible," recalled Mr Lin. "Says who? I eat them every day," the banker apparently told his compatriot.
'Number one issue' Mr Lin's Japanese friend may have been supportive, but the story reveals just how many foreigners are wary of Chinese food products. And many of those people are preparing to come to Beijing for the Olympics. "I think this is the number one issue facing our (Olympic) teams," said Mike Tancred, media director for the Australian Olympic Committee.
In order to prevent any food-related problems during the event, the Australians have advised their athletes what to eat, and what not to eat. "We have recommended they do not purchase food from street vendors outside the Olympic village," said Mr Tancred. The Australians are also bringing some of their own food, and have told athletes only to drink water supplied by Olympic sponsor Coca-Cola. Despite the precautions, Mr Tancred revealed that a number of Australian athletes have become sick while taking part in Olympic test events in Beijing.
