About the time of the tainted pet food and some other food products, the Food Section of either the Washing Post or the NYT had an article stating that MOST of the garlic imported into this country is grown in China. In the grocery store, it has the roots cut cleanly off the base of the bulb. Domestic garlic has some dry crinkly roots remaining. This Chinese garlic is grown in a lad of incomprehensible pollution: air, land and water. Yesterday, I was looking for some garlic powder and even the McCormick brand had "product of China" on the side in small print. They are to be commended for that information. Most large food companies are actively fighting Country of Origin labeling. I know that it is possible to buy domestic garlic on the internet. I cannot find it in the chain stores I frequent here, although I did find some Elephant garlic from California, but maybe I will check out my organic stores. I love garlic and lots of people eat it for health reasons, but who knows what is in the garlic that is going into you. I might have to start growing my own.
Chinese Garlic Danger
- Thread starter tomturbomatic
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I heard this problem was with Chinese ginger, not garlic. California is perhaps the world capitol of garlic (Gilroy Garlic Festival every August) so I don't see why we'd be importing it from China. But ginger requires warmer temps so I could see that being imported a lot.
nurdlinger
Well-known member
Nah, He's right
I read about/heard on the radio this garlic story some time in the last couple weeks. I was real surprised that garlic would need to be imported.
I read about/heard on the radio this garlic story some time in the last couple weeks. I was real surprised that garlic would need to be imported.
Garlic production in the Gilroy area has been seriously diminished in recent years due to, I presume, encroaching development. The bulk of the garlic used at the Gilroy festival and processed by Christopher Ranch and others is now grown in the central valley. I'm not so sure Gilroy is the true garlic capital of the world anymore but that doesn't stop them from holding the annual festival to celebrate this wonderful culinary item.
I try to avoid Chinese garlic for the very reasons mentioned above. Here on the Pacific coast if conditions are right we can end up having Chinese smog polluting air that would otherwise be clear, it is that thick of a blanket hovering over most of China. I don't need to be eating anything that has been processing high levels of carbon monoxide and other fossil fuel pollutants.
I try to avoid Chinese garlic for the very reasons mentioned above. Here on the Pacific coast if conditions are right we can end up having Chinese smog polluting air that would otherwise be clear, it is that thick of a blanket hovering over most of China. I don't need to be eating anything that has been processing high levels of carbon monoxide and other fossil fuel pollutants.
ACK! I never would've thought of this. I just bought Badia brand garlic powder & minced garlic. It only says packed in the USA. On their website it comes up under the heading of chinese garlic although it doesn't say this on the package. I think I'm going to return it to the store, I am trying really hard these days to avoid products made in china, it's difficult though.
Virginia
Virginia
