This food safety/recall issue is now officially a three-ring circus...

I almost have to thank Menu Foods, Inc. for colossal mistake they made in using the melamine-tainted gluten back in early 2007. Now that may sound bad, but ever since that happened, a much needed light has been shone down on an area of security that I don't believe many Americans considered - our food. More importantly, our imported foods.

Over the past week, I've read a continuing string of stories that continues to blow my mind. Yet, it's so obvious. Unfortunately, we've come to a point in our nation's history where we want things cheaper, faster, and above all else... NOW! Capitalizing on our market mentality is our precious friend, the communist country of China. A country that for all it's power over controlling and dictating it's citizens, just can't seem to quite figure out how to exercise that same authority over it's manufacturers that are shipping to the US. In all reality, while they state their concerns, I'm taking a real guess that they probably couldn't care less.

First I read about how our fondness for cheap, quick product solutions has gotten us into trouble on products from everything like toothpaste to pain medicines. Bogus products stating they have the "active" ingredient in them, that have no such ingredient at all. One example was chondroitin, and how millions of dollars worth of faulty products are bought every year that are a complete scam.

Second, I read another article about how just this past month, a Chinese manufacturer of dumplings was recently reprimanded for "repackaging" TWO YEAR OLD FILLING into new dumplings. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!! I guess I shouldn't be surprised about this. I mean if China can't even get Communism right, why should I believe they'd get a free market capitalist society down either?

And now.. for my third and final trick....

I'm just going to quote the news article I read this in because it says it all....

"China's regulatory standards chief pledged Wednesday to update and boost enforcement of food safety rules as the country faces intense international pressure for exporting unsafe products, from tainted pet food to popular children's toys manufactured with lead paint."

I'm sorry but can anyone really take that seriously?