Coming just weeks after the United States's announcement that they have granted China approval to process and cook chickens for import to the U.S., now news is starting to filter in that food safety inspectors not only a lack of manpower to inspect shipments when they arrive here in the United States, but that many would-be inspectors in China are being denied entry or get their visas delayed by Chinese authorities.
A November 20th report from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission highlights some serious problems faced by inspectors, including the fact the FDA has “found it difficult to increase on-the-ground inspections” in China, “in part because Chinese authorities have delayed visas for FDA inspectors and restricted access to food production sites.” The USDA is already having similar problems, according to Tony Corbo, Senior lobbyist for the food program at Food & Water Watch.
“I know when USDA went over there in December 2010 to do some audit visits to the poultry facilities, the Chinese completely changed the itinerary of the plants they would visit,” Corbo told the Epoch Times. “Each time USDA goes to visit China it’s a completely different set of facilities they’re visiting,” he said, citing documents received through Freedom of Information Act requests.
This article from the Epoch Times also details China's history of staged inspections and “quality fade” Chinese factories have even been known to pull on their own government inspectors. To read more, click HERE.
