Food for thought

The World Consumer Rights Day on March 15 is an occasion to celebrate and advocate what we as consumers deserve and should thus enjoy. Yet ever since it became a red-character day on the Chinese calendar, stunning revelations have tested our confidence in the things we consume.

This year, they included, but were not limited to, paper napkins made from garbage, animal blood preserved with formaldehyde, and pork containing ractopamine or clenbuterol banned nine years ago.

Authorities responsible for monitoring the market and consumer products were quick to respond, a practice after the melamine scandal, which dealt a nasty blow to the domestic dairy industry.