Low Carbon Footprint Food

（慧榆）

Introduction

The consequences of global warming have led to extreme weather in many countries, which in turn might diminish agricultural produce and cause a short supply of food. The farm produce that is cultivated with low carbon and less energy has therefore become a global trend to protect our earth. In addition, the low carbon food has strong connection with the food traceability system and food safety issues. The healthier we eat, the greener the earth is.

1) Food Safety Crisis

Since last year, food crises have become a most disturbing issue in Taiwan, with illegal food additives, expiratory food and adulterated oil being sold all over Taiwan and having endangered the public’s health.

     
 

Source: http://news.tvbs.com.tw/entry

Aside from being a threat to people’s health, adulterated food may also expose our land to great dangers, as overdoses of pesticides might make the soil barren in the future if we don’t stop this measure. Therefore the development of eco-agriculture and organic agriculture may well be the answer to sustainable agriculture.

The Food Safety Committee, the Executive Yuan supervises national food safety and creates food additives traceability system so that food additives management can be enhanced under stricter laws and regulations and the citizens’ health can be protected from adulterated food materials.

 

2) Food Logo

There are many kinds of food logo designed and released by government, which help the public to make purchases without anxieties. These emblems have set high standard for food, vegetables and fruits in Taiwan. Some are listed as below:

 

     
 
     
Health Food Emblem:
This is certified by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and is placed above the packing.
 
     
 
     
Good Manufacturing Practice:
It is shortened as “Food GMP” and is certified by the Department of Economic Development
 
     
 
     
Certified Agriculture Standards:
CAS is a set of standards for Taiwan’s farm produce and will be placed on the products’ packing.
 
     
 
     

Organic Agriculture Standards:
If the farm produce is produced, processed and packaged in Taiwan, and corresponds to the current regulations by the central authorities concerned with legal amount of pesticides, then it is qualified to obtain this Organic emblem.                                           
 
     
 
     
Traceability:
This emblem proves the farm products are safe, traceable and corresponding to sustainability and transparency in the process of cultivation and marketing.
 
     
 
     

Good Agricultural Practice (GAP):
The GAP emblem is a credential for the farmers to abide by the standards stipulated by the authorities concerned. The nine Arabic numerals are for consumers to check into the data of the farmers when logging into the official GAP webpage.
 
Source: https://consumer.fda.gov.tw/Pages/Detail.aspx
 

 

3) Safety of Fruits

Nowadays consumers are worried about the safety of fruit; therefore many farmers have joined the certification system in order to increase their sale. It is a win-win situation for both farmers and consumers. It encourages farmers to use pesticides as least as possible, and at the same time consumers have easier access to safe fruits than ever.

     
 

 

  

 

The surface of fruit may have been poisoned with remaining pesticides; therefore it is important to wash the fruit carefully. There are some ways of washing: by pure water, by salty water, by water rinsed with rice, and by adding baking soda into water.

       
       

Except for washing it with great care, there are some tricks to pick safe fruit. For instance, remember to pick fruits that are in season, organic fruits or vegetables and fruit with emblems. Don’t buy shiny-surfaced fruits or fruits with white dots.
 
Formosan Masked Civet, Taipei Fuhsing Private School, Taiwan © 2015 Cyber Fair
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