Whose responsibility?

The gathering clouds of suspicion over the mysterious yi di xiang, an additive used by numerous restaurants in the soups they serve, reveals a weakness and ineffectiveness in taking care of our vulnerable food chain.

As more behind-the-scenes truths emerge, we cannot but be alarmed. There is little doubt about the potency of the popular additive - a couple drops can immediately turn a pot of plain water into a taste bud cheating "soup." It can even produce different flavors: chicken, pork, beef you name it. It is easy to see why so many restaurants are reportedly using it.

Given their proven disregard for our concerns, we do not often discuss ethics with profit-minded business people. After all, some will not hesitate to break a law if the authorities look aside.