Unique and wholesome food chain Trader Joe’s has announced that it plans to phase out single ingredient food items from China. The announcement is another hit in China’s ability to provide global products in a safe manor, after the huge lead paint problem announced months ago in children’s toys. The decision seems to have been done in part based on their own customers voicing a concern for the quality of food coming into this country from sub-standard quality control in China. With the 2008 Olympics only 10 months away, China can’t want any negative press, hopefully this will bring some change, not just Chinese communistic censorship that is so well known.

According to Trader Joe’s, this only affects a small portion of items sold, but it still raises some proverbial red flags. Trader Joe’s is a pretty specialized chain, but they have a growing fan base. I have friends who will drive an hour to the closest store every few weeks, at a time when gas prices are creeping back to all time highs again. Clearly they have cornered a much needed demographic of people and are listening to and addressing the concerns of their customers, but is it enough?

I still believe that buying local, buying fresh and supporting the farmers in your area is the best way to keep not only money in the hands of your neighbors, but to eat healthy as well. I understand not everything is available fresh and local, importing is a way of life, but we must start paying more attention to where we get consumable goods for and under what circumstances they were grown, harvested and imported.

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