dude101

Hey everyone, it's been a while.

Now we all know about food, heck we eat everyday (just had to state of obvious) but do we know what we're eating is safe? Now that's some food for thought.

These days, with so many artificial additives i.e. flavour enhancers, preservatives, colour enhancers and what not, turn a simple thing like a bun or ice cream, and turns it into a chemical nightmare. But is it all safe?

And the truth of the matter is, nobody knows, not even the people who make the chemicals know. I mean sure they know how their chemicals work, and how it gives food extra flavour and what not. But in truth they have only the slightest idea what happens to the chemical while we ingest them.

What makes this even worst is the fact of the preparation and importation of food. Now we all know about the china milk scandal were they added Melamine with Formaldehyde (which is known to be carcinogenic, yay more cancer for everyone!) to milk and was found in a variety of other products. But it wasn't well know that most of the major chocolate companies used imported milk powder in their products.

Heck this can even happen with local produce, not too long ago i found out that sun dried tomatoes had be contaminated with hepatitis B. The only way i found about this was from a co-worker of mine went in to give blood and was turned away cause she had sun dried tomatoes and was told of the contamination. This wasn't even reported on news or anything of the like.

So my main question is, how can we ensure that the food we eat is safe? Should we put in place tougher regulations? Should we create laws to make it a capital offense to sell contaminated goods (even if the companies don't know)? And what measures should we put in place to ensure that we're able to find and remove contaminated food quickly?

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beast

I believe that the measures that exist are comprehensive enough. Capital punishment is overkill (literally). We forget that these occuraences though terrible are rare. With all we import it is a wonder it doesn't happen more often.

Maclane

heres my take on the thing... i love to eat. i would rather live my life eating delicious unhealthy food than eat something that tastes like s***. and if it's that big of a deal then just do what my uncle does... live out in the wilderness and find your own food. of course maybe pollution will get to the animals and youll have to worry about that too.

clover

it really depends on what kind of food you buy from the store you shop at. Many people dont pay attention to the labels that list all of the ingridents in the product and what those products are. Then you have to consider the stuff they use on animals before its used to make foods. Cows and pigs are more likley to have hormonal growth, and other chemicals to make them fattened up, and tastes better.
Many chemicals in food can be good for you depending on how much of it you eat. MSG thats used in chinese food has said to have been bad for people since it has side effects just like everything else and can kill you. For the most part if your allergic to it in some way you should avoid it, other people let their minds play tricks on them...Most problems with food do come from some kind of undercooking, or handeled wrong.

for the most part its better to watch the news and make sure theres no foods to watch out for, read the labels of whats in the foods, find out what they are, if they dont have a label, you can always ask when and where the product came from. make sure to cook them right. You could always grow your own fruits and veges which you know isnt bad since your the only one watching them.

i love food, i eat all the time but i dont eat alot of junk food, i tend to make my food more than anything. But im into the organic food stuff its a little more expensive, but its fresh and chemical free. If i do have junk food, or the such the only thing i can do is hope its cooked right and everyone has washed their hands.

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..........nothing is true, everything is permitted..........