Even popular American food products may no longer be made in America

[coolwater]

I am looking at the box of Kellogg's Special K cereal and no where I can find, "Made in OOO" -- it just does not say where it's made -- USA or anywhere else. It only says, "Distributed by Kellogg Sales Co. Battle Creek, MI USA".

Of course, IT IS 'distributed by Kellogg in USA' ~~~DUH~~ well, I believe this is a cunning way to conceal or hide where it is really made.

I usually could care less where non-food products are made these days, but I still would like to know where food products are made!

 

[Born Again]

I stopped eating cereal because it's bad for u

Especially milk

 

[CalBoy]

I really doubt the cereal itself is made anywhere else. We grow an absurd share of the world's corn, rice, wheat, and soy and are the largest exporters for most of those (if not all four).

It's also doubtful that the box was made elsewhere because we have plenty of tree farms and recycling centers capable of enough output.

In fact, just about the only imported items for the cereal are probably the oil to make the plastic bag inside and to transport the various components.

 

[JoeG4]

that said, I've found lots of random products (like generic jelly) that were in fact labeled "Product of China".

I kinda find the whole thing a little bit racist. I bet you wouldn't blink an eye if it said Product of Japan.

 

[CalBoy]

I kinda find the whole thing a little bit racist. I bet you wouldn't blink an eye if it said Product of Japan.

I don't think it's racism, it's prudent caution. How many baby toys full of lead, poisonous toothpaste, and faulty dry wall contracts does it take before we demand better QA from China?

 

[birchest]

I really doubt the cereal itself is made anywhere else. We grow an absurd share of the world's corn, rice, wheat, and soy and are the largest exporters for most of those (if not all four).

It could be cheaper to ship corn to Mexico to turn it into dough and bring it back to US to bake and package. It's quite possible.

 

[birchest]

I kinda find the whole thing a little bit racist. I bet you wouldn't blink an eye if it said Product of Japan.

No to the first statement; Yes to the second statement.

Countries like Germany and Japan are knows for good or high quality products, but China is not... at least not yet. Making a smart choice should not label one a racist.

 

[CalBoy]

It could be cheaper to ship corn to Mexico to turn it into dough and bring it back to US to bake and package. It's quite possible.

Not really because industrial baking isn't very labor intensive. Mexico makes sense when automation is limited and you need lots of hands.

Shipping millions of tons of water over 1,000 miles each way also makes absolutely no sense.

 

[Peterkro]

I really doubt the cereal itself is made anywhere else. We grow an absurd share of the world's corn, rice, wheat, and soy and are the largest exporters for most of those (if not all four).

It's also doubtful that the box was made elsewhere because we have plenty of tree farms and recycling centers capable of enough output.

In fact, just about the only imported items for the cereal are probably the oil to make the plastic bag inside and to transport the various components.

The U.S. is the third largest importer of breakfast cereals and the fourth largest exporter (2004 figures).So it's highly likely at least some of the popular brands are imported,it's highly unlikely to come from Mexico though as the U.S. is the major player in that market (as it is in Canada).


http://www.fas.usda.gov/agx/ISMG/ISMGProspectsGlobalBreakfastCereal Market.pdf

 

[agkm800]

I think the OP's point is that ALL food products must clearly be labeled where it was made. I do agree that this information can be very important and should not be hidden from the consumer.

 

[maflynn]

Just seems to be the way we're heading here in the US. Look at many orange juice makers, only handful only use oranges from the US. Others like tropicana use imported oranges.

Personally, I'd like to try to support US made products and help protect US jobs.

 

[KnightWRX]

No to the first statement; Yes to the second statement.

Countries like Germany and Japan are knows for good or high quality products, but China is not... at least not yet. Making a smart choice should not label one a racist.

It's not about quality of products. China, Mexico, all those places make products up to a spec. Give them a quality spec, you'll get quality back. Give them a cheap to manufacture spec, you'll get a cheap product back.

It's about keeping Americans employed. By buying Made in America, you're not shipping your jobs overseas. That's the whole point, it's not even close to being about quality. Protectionism. Read about it.

I stopped eating cereal because it's bad for u

Especially milk

Highly dependent on the brand and flavor. Some breakfast cereal is packaged up sugar (or worse in the US, High Fructose Corn Syrup) wrapped in enriched flour. That's pretty caloric and has close to 0 nutrional value (ie, it makes you fat without giving your body any kind of vitamins/minerals/fibre/protein you need to function).

However, look at stuff like All-bran. It's low on sugar as most of its carbs is from Fiber (7 g sugar, 12g of Fibre, unless you count starch as a sugar), it also has very decent protein for a non-meat-derivative.

As for milk. Please. Milk is fine in controlled quantities. Just don't drink the overly fat stuff (3.25%, stick to 1%) and don't go over 2-3 portions of dairy products (yogurts, milk, cheese) per day and it's perfectly healthy and one of your best sources of calcium.

Not everything is black or white.

 

[senseless]

There is something wrong with the tax code, unions or regulations if mostly automated manufacturing leaves the US. It's better to fix the underlying problem now.

 

[maflynn]

There is something wrong with the tax code, unions or regulations if mostly automated manufacturing leaves the US. It's better to fix the underlying problem now.

I can't see how this is a tax code problem when its easier to pay some one pennies on the dollar to make something in mexico. This one falls on the shoulders of corporate america's desire to maximize profits at the expense of American jobs and consumers wanting more and more for less and less.

 

[dXTC]

I stopped eating cereal because it's bad for u

Especially milk

Highly dependent on the brand and flavor. Some breakfast cereal is packaged up sugar (or worse in the US, High Fructose Corn Syrup) wrapped in enriched flour. That's pretty caloric and has close to 0 nutrional value (ie, it makes you fat without giving your body any kind of vitamins/minerals/fibre/protein you need to function).

However, look at stuff like All-bran. It's low on sugar as most of its carbs is from Fiber (7 g sugar, 12g of Fibre, unless you count starch as a sugar), it also has very decent protein for a non-meat-derivative.

As for milk. Please. Milk is fine in controlled quantities. Just don't drink the overly fat stuff (3.25%, stick to 1%) and don't go over 2-3 portions of dairy products (yogurts, milk, cheese) per day and it's perfectly healthy and one of your best sources of calcium.

Not everything is black or white.

Seconded, this, QFT, what have ya.

Fortified whole-grain cereals with 1%, skim milk or soymilk (!) can be a healthy start to your day. There is one exception: Diabetics should definitely avoid cereals with added sugar, and could be better off choosing something with less carbohydrates overall.

Methinks Born Again is referring to stuff with names like "Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs". Those aren't much help, except for a small amount (if any) of vitamins and minerals, and could probably be bested nutrition-wise by a single broccoli floret.

 

[Mousse]

Countries like Germany and Japan are knows for good or high quality products, but China is not... at least not yet. Making a smart choice should not label one a racist.

I'm wary of any food products coming from China, especially after the Simulac scandal of 2008. I've heard numerous other incidents involving other foods, so much so that I've boycotted all food stuff exported from China.

 

[bruinsrme]

Kelloggs
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/13038

Read the last paragraph, sad very sad

 

[chaosbunny]

I can't see how this is a tax code problem when its easier to pay some one pennies on the dollar to make something in mexico. This one falls on the shoulders of corporate america's desire to maximize profits at the expense of American jobs and consumers wanting more and more for less and less.

Kind of a sad vicious circle.

people have less money (unemployment or less/minimum wage) -> they have to buy cheaper products -> corporations deliver cheaper products by putting production somewhere else -> people have less money (unemployment or less/minimum wage) -> repeat

 

[CalBoy]

The U.S. is the third largest importer of breakfast cereals and the fourth largest exporter (2004 figures).So it's highly likely at least some of the popular brands are imported,it's highly unlikely to come from Mexico though as the U.S. is the major player in that market (as it is in Canada).


http://www.fas.usda.gov/agx/ISMG/ISMGProspectsGlobalBreakfastCereal Market.pdf

Even then, it's not likely. According to that report, total imports into the US were only a little more than $100 million worth out of a market that is several billion dollars (the nearest figure I could find was 2.5 billion boxes sold-that should translate into a few billion dollars at the minimum). That just isn't a big enough figure to be indicative of much. I would bet that those import sales are probably more indicative of the desire to have exotic food by some rather than a shifting of cereal production.

I mean Mexican Cokes are quite popular in California because they're made from cane sugar as opposed to corn syrup, but that doesn't mean that a random bottle you buy from a vending machine will be made in Mexico.

 

[Rt&Dzine]

I'm wary of any food products coming from China, especially after the Simulac scandal of 2008. I've heard numerous other incidents involving other foods, so much so that I've boycotted all food stuff exported from China.

And most prescription medicines contain ingredients from China, and most vaccines are made in China. Remember the the pet food scandal that killed lots of pets.

Recent article. Not sure if this effects exports:

In recent weeks, China’s news media have reported sales of pork adulterated with the drug clenbuterol, which can cause heart palpitations; pork sold as beef after it was soaked in borax, a detergent additive; rice contaminated with cadmium, a heavy metal discharged by smelters; arsenic-laced soy sauce; popcorn and mushrooms treated with fluorescent bleach; bean sprouts tainted with an animal antibiotic; and wine diluted with sugared water and chemicals. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/08/world/asia/08food.html

 

[Born Again]

Seconded, this, QFT, what have ya.

Fortified whole-grain cereals with 1%, skim milk or soymilk (!) can be a healthy start to your day. There is one exception: Diabetics should definitely avoid cereals with added sugar, and could be better off choosing something with less carbohydrates overall.

Methinks Born Again is referring to stuff with names like "Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs". Those aren't much help, except for a small amount (if any) of vitamins and minerals, and could probably be bested nutrition-wise by a single broccoli floret.

I am working my way onto the paleo diet

So it's no milk or grains

So far I'm doing pretty bad

But breakfast for me is just eggs and bacon

Seems to be fine as I work out about everyday; im heavy on veggies for dinner along with grilled chicken.

 

[JoeG4]

No no no, you're supposed to eat Kashi GO LEAN! because it's less healthy than Total but has a hip Asian name

On topic: I agree, all things should be labeled where they came from >>

 

[snberk103]

I think the OP's point is that ALL food products must clearly be labeled where it was made. I do agree that this information can be very important and should not be hidden from the consumer.

I don't know the US laws, but in Canada the "Made in Canada" label (for food at least) is based on a $$ threshold. There was a problem a while ago with fish being sold here as "Made In Canada". The problem was, the fish was being caught in Asia (don't know if it was China), cleaned and portioned there, frozen there, and then shipped in bulk to Canada where the fish is then packaged. Because the cost of packaging the fish was significantly more than the catching, cleaning, cutting, freezing cost it was able to be labeled as "Made In Canada", meaning.... it was put into a box here.

There was some talk of changing that law, but my wife and I now doing everything we can to buy locally produced food. It's easy where we are, and not for everybody. But the more you learn about factory food, the more you want to stay away from it.

If you want something to make you swear off chicken nuggets forever - research how they are made. I wouldn't recommend chicken nuggets to my worst enemy. Of course, they are made in the USA (and Canada probably) so there is that going for them.... blech.

 

[KnightWRX]

I am working my way onto the paleo diet

So it's no milk or grains

So far I'm doing pretty bad

But breakfast for me is just eggs and bacon

Seems to be fine as I work out about everyday; im heavy on veggies for dinner along with grilled chicken.

You'll have a big fiber deficit on that diet, watch for constipation. Sounds really bad, especially bacon... it has no nutrional value at all, it's all fat. You should couple the eggs with peanut butter instead.

 

[coolwater]

OP here.

The subject of this discussion is not about cereal or diet. Sorry.

It's about our rights to know where things are really made or produced, especially food products. Companies should not try to hide the information from us. By hiding, they are acknowledging they are not 100% confident.