Keeping faith in food

From saucy schemes cooked in swill oil that range from melamine in milk to pork that glows in the dark, food scandals are disturbingly never far from the top of the menu in China's culinary culture. Whenever a new food scandal emerges consumers vent their rage while authorities promise to tighten regulations to throw out the rotten apples spoiling the national food chain.

The most recent example emerged last month on World Consumer Rights Day (March 15), after McDonald's in Sanlitun, Chaoyang district, was denounced and temporarily shut down for selling expired food. Since then, the dust has settled and the fast-food giant has lured customers back to its store in the shopping enclave. However, diners remain wary that another food scandal inevitably lies around the corner. The question on the tip of everyone's taste bud-cautious tongues is when it will strike and what delicacy it will involve.

Not lovin' McDonald's

On March 22, a week after it had been publicly condemned in an investigative report aired on China Central Television (CCTV), McDonald's in Sanlitun reopened its doors to customers.

"I don't know whether to trust the CCTV exposé denouncing food safety violations at McDonald's," confessed a 35-year-old male customer surnamed Hong as he left the restaurant clutching his takeaway.

"I'll still go for a jianbing (Chinese crepe pancake) and a Big Mac occasionally. Apparently, there's not much of a difference between street vendors violating hygiene rules to survive and McDonald's infringing food standards to make millions." Hong said.

Wary of news reports lifting the lid on the latest scandals, consumers were divided over whether to still trust McDonald's after the CCTV report that alleged food that fell on the ground was cooked and chicken wings with an expiration time of 30 minutes were left in a warming tray for nearly two hours.

Mary Weng, corporate communications manager with McDonald's China, said the company took "immediate action" after the story to carry out its own independent probe. "We suspended store operations to ensure a thorough investigation. We completed the investigation and have made all necessary rectifications," Meng told the Global Times. "At the same time, we have welcomed all required inspections by relevant government organizations." An official apology was also offered by McDonald's to customers in a bid to restore trust.

Despite the apparent admission of guilt that came with the apology, many people have loyally stood by the golden arches during the saga.

"I'm not sure if CCTV had a particular agenda against McDonald's, but I have my own reservations regarding their report," noted Ng Yung Han, a 26-year-old architect from Singapore who has been in Beijing for just over one month.

Legislation loopholes

Consumers are generally resigned more than shocked at regular reports of food scandals in China. Many mothers of newborns buy imported milk powder for their babies, often at prices double or even triple those of domestic variants. Others take their chances and hope that what's served on their dinner plate won't sicken them, while foreigners have trouble separating fact from fiction when hearing China's food scandals upon arriving in the country.

"The sad reality is that people are accustomed to grave food safety scandals in China, such as fake liquor and tainted milk. While there are special procurements for high-level officials, ordinary people view China's struggle with food safety as hopeless," said Zhou Xiaozheng, a sociologist at Renmin University.

Other experts point out that the scandal involving McDonald's actually doesn't carry any legal ramifications, with only collateral damage sustained to its reputation. "Since there are no national regulations banning the service of expired food items at restaurants, McDonald's in Sanlitun is only guilty of violating its own rules," Fan Zhihong, a food safety expert at China Agriculture University, told the Global Times.

Consumers might have to make more effort demanding higher standards for significant changes to food safety to come about in China.

"With fast-food it's not only a question of hygiene, but also of health problems such as obesity. It's up to people to avoid this type of food and raise their kids to eat healthier food," said 40-year-old Liu Jing, a Beijing primary school teacher. "I stay away from fast-food and don't allow my child to eat it. I don't want to contribute to the vicious cycle of food problems."

Despite all the drama generated by media exposés on food scandals, it's all too easy for people to become complacent after the hype dies down.

"People tend to forget the scandals. Fast-food is embedded in the lifestyle of modern cities like Beijing," noted Emmie Lai, 22, who was is from Taiwan but was raised in the US. "I remember many American friends saying they would never be able to eat McDonald's after they watched the documentary Super Size Me. Many of them went back to their weekly Big Macs after a while though."

Reliability on restaurants

For British student Charlotte Hall, there's no substitute for verbal feedback when it comes to choosing where to eat out in Beijing. "It's no longer a matter of trusting a Chinese or non-Chinese food chain more or less. Multinationals might have higher safety standards, but they face the same problems that Chinese companies do when it comes to enforcing rules. I only rely on restaurants filled with customers and positive word-of-mouth reviews," said the 23-year-old.

"The real problem is that regulations are too relaxed in China," agreed Lai. "McDonald's has also been accused of hygiene violations abroad. Japanese noodle restaurant Ajisen Ramen was also under fire for using additives and powders to make its noodle soup base."

Dong Jinshi, executive vice-president of the International Food Packaging Association, acknowledged that food scandals might rock consumer confidence, but they don't diminish the appeal of renowned fast-food giants. "People won't stop eating at fast-food chains. This case [involving McDonald's] is an incident related to internal management. There is no larger food safety issue," Dong declared.