One of my biggest concerns about moving to Beijing is food safety. It’s the lack of information that scares me. While in the United States, there is a movement to buy organic to avoid pesticides, hormones or antibiotics used in some products; in China, as far as I can tell, there is no consumer information at all about what one is eating.
A friend told me that China does not allow importation of chicken or its by-products – such as eggs – into the country. She also mentioned that imported pork is difficult to find. When I asked what meats her family consumed, she replied, “We eat a lot of steak.” It seems China does allow imports of beef from Australia and New Zealand, a favorite among foreigners. With all this in mind, while on our house-hunting trip, I asked our moving company representative to show us a western-friendly grocery in Beijing.
And so, I found myself at Jenny Lou’s. Jenny Lou’s is big and could rival many American grocery stores. In addition to whole wheat pasta and brown rice, I was surprised – not necessarily in a good way – to find rows and rows of American junk food. Craving your favorite chips? Jenny Lou’s has it. Shredded Wheat? Just go to the cereal aisle. The vegetables, meat and poultry – with the exception of a few Italian sandwich choices – appeared to be local with no organic options.
I approached a German woman as she pondered the yogurt selection and asked her where I could find imported or organic meats in Beijing. She told me that the German slaughter was a good place to start. I also received from her useful information on Chinese organic eggs, schools, and neighborhoods as she passed me her card in case I had any other questions. Nice!
So, while we definitely plan to eat out and enjoy Chinese food, we will also be as careful as we can. In the US, everyone heard about the melamine scandal with Chinese milk. In Hong Kong, issues with food safety are common among Chinese imports, especially fish. There are constant calls for greater oversight of food crossing the border from China. Of course, we are moving to Beijing to enjoy and explore Chinese culture and cuisine whenever we can. On the other hand, it’s good to know that we can always have a bowl of Cheerios for dinner. With New Zealand UHT milk of course.
PS As I read this several days later, I feel the need to clarify a couple of points. First, this obsession with safe food has come to me since having a child. I think if I were moving to China without children, I would think differently. Second, we will be as careful as we can at home knowing that we will be eating in local restaurants and trying local cuisine as much as possible – and thoroughly enjoying it.