Chinese ‘gutter oil’ is even more disgusting than it sounds

[Roybot]

A woman in Shenzhen scoops grease out of the sewers in order to make gutter oil, a highly toxic but lucrative commodity in China.
​

If you’re taking a trip to China any time soon, you may want to plan your meals in advance. Depending on where you eat, your snack may be prepared with “gutter oil.”

What is this substance? It’s cooking oil made from animal fats found in garbage, meat scraps and even grease found in sewage — all mixed together and processed before being sold off to cheap restaurants and street vendors.

​

A video by Radio Free Asia, first highlighted by the Washington Post’s Max Fisher, explains the process in some detail. The report starts with a middle-aged woman in Shenzhen scooping grease out of a sewer before sending it off to a refinery of sorts, although it more closely resembles a meth cooking lab than an industrial production facility.

The woman tells RFA that she has made enough money from gutter oil to build her family a house in her home village. It’s not exactly glamorous work, but business is booming. An estimated 10 per cent of China’s cooking oil is said to be this kind of gutter oil.

The Chinese government has tried to halt the practice but the economic incentives may be too strong to fully stamp it out. After all, there is a lot of money to be made, especially among poorer people willing to do the work of gathering the raw materials. In 2012, even some Chinese pharmaceutical companies were accused of using the cheap gutter oil instead of pricier alternatives.

The health effects can be nasty as well, since this stuff is basically toxic. It is filled with carcinogens and can cause severe abdominal pain and diarrhea to anyone who eats food prepared with gutter oil. Some things, after all, are not meant to be recycled.

http://o.canada.com/news/oddities/gutter-oil-is-even-more-disgusting-than-it-sounds/

 

[Capt.Popeye]

A woman in Shenzhen scoops grease out of the sewers in order to make gutter oil, a highly toxic but lucrative commodity in China.
​

If you’re taking a trip to China any time soon, you may want to plan your meals in advance. Depending on where you eat, your snack may be prepared with “gutter oil.”
What is this substance? It’s cooking oil made from animal fats found in garbage, meat scraps and even grease found in sewage — all mixed together and processed before being sold off to cheap restaurants and street vendors.

​

A video by Radio Free Asia, first highlighted by the Washington Post’s Max Fisher, explains the process in some detail. The report starts with a middle-aged woman in Shenzhen scooping grease out of a sewer before sending it off to a refinery of sorts, although it more closely resembles a meth cooking lab than an industrial production facility.

The woman tells RFA that she has made enough money from gutter oil to build her family a house in her home village. It’s not exactly glamorous work, but business is booming. An estimated 10 per cent of China’s cooking oil is said to be this kind of gutter oil.

The Chinese government has tried to halt the practice but the economic incentives may be too strong to fully stamp it out. After all, there is a lot of money to be made, especially among poorer people willing to do the work of gathering the raw materials. In 2012, even some Chinese pharmaceutical companies were accused of using the cheap gutter oil instead of pricier alternatives.

The health effects can be nasty as well, since this stuff is basically toxic. It is filled with carcinogens and can cause severe abdominal pain and diarrhea to anyone who eats food prepared with gutter oil. Some things, after all, are not meant to be recycled.
http://o.canada.com/news/oddities/gutter-oil-is-even-more-disgusting-than-it-sounds/

This is some "Scientific Work", man.
Just "reverse-engineering" Cooking Oil, man.
Cutting Edge scientific work being carried out by some high IQ minds.
Ah, the delights of "free enterprise".
Move over Mao Tze Dong, you did'nt know nuthin' man.......

 

[DARIUS]

The funny thing is that God forbid if a similar sort of piece comes up about India than the Pakistanis would have already started a troll fst calling us dark,ugly,smelly and what not!!But look at this thread not a single green flag,clean without a spec!!

 

[INDIC]

The funny thing is that God forbid if a similar sort of piece comes up about India than the Pakistanis would have already started a troll fst calling us dark,ugly,smelly and what not!!But look at this thread not a single green flag,clean without a spec!!

Chinese fake Plastic rice made up of potatoes, sweet potatoes and plastics.

 

[kaykay]

gutter oil??? Yuck yuck.... Never heard this before.

 

[JSCh]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable_oil_recycling

Vegetable oil recycling is increasingly being carried out to produce a

vegetable oil fuel.
Opportunities for businesses and consumers to recycle used cooking oil has increased.[1] Used cooking oil can be refined into different types of biofuels used for power generation and heating.[2] A significant benefit is that biofuels derived from recycled cooking oil typically burn clean,[2] have a low carbon content and don't produce carbon monoxide. This helps communities to reduce their carbon footprints.[2] The recycling of cooking oil also provides a form of revenue for restaurants, which are sometimes compensated by cooking oil recyclers for their used deep fryer oil.[2] Cooking oil recycling also results in less used oil being disposed of in drains, which can clog sewage lines due to the build-up of fats.[3]

Most of the "gutter oil" were recycled for legitimate use, it is actually desirable because of environmental friendliness. Unfortunately some of it were being illegally sold by criminals for human consumption.

 

[HariPrasad]

A woman in Shenzhen scoops grease out of the sewers in order to make gutter oil, a highly toxic but lucrative commodity in China.
​

If you’re taking a trip to China any time soon, you may want to plan your meals in advance. Depending on where you eat, your snack may be prepared with “gutter oil.”
What is this substance? It’s cooking oil made from animal fats found in garbage, meat scraps and even grease found in sewage — all mixed together and processed before being sold off to cheap restaurants and street vendors.

​

A video by Radio Free Asia, first highlighted by the Washington Post’s Max Fisher, explains the process in some detail. The report starts with a middle-aged woman in Shenzhen scooping grease out of a sewer before sending it off to a refinery of sorts, although it more closely resembles a meth cooking lab than an industrial production facility.

The woman tells RFA that she has made enough money from gutter oil to build her family a house in her home village. It’s not exactly glamorous work, but business is booming. An estimated 10 per cent of China’s cooking oil is said to be this kind of gutter oil.

The Chinese government has tried to halt the practice but the economic incentives may be too strong to fully stamp it out. After all, there is a lot of money to be made, especially among poorer people willing to do the work of gathering the raw materials. In 2012, even some Chinese pharmaceutical companies were accused of using the cheap gutter oil instead of pricier alternatives.

The health effects can be nasty as well, since this stuff is basically toxic. It is filled with carcinogens and can cause severe abdominal pain and diarrhea to anyone who eats food prepared with gutter oil. Some things, after all, are not meant to be recycled.
http://o.canada.com/news/oddities/gutter-oil-is-even-more-disgusting-than-it-sounds/

It is in line with chines policy of cost cutting without any way concerning with quality. What is wrong in that?

 

[JSCh]

Selling recycled oil for human consumption is a serious crime in China. The maximum penalty under the law is death.

Global Times - Chinese gutter oil producer jailed for life
SCMP.HK - Jiangsu court jails sellers of ‘cooking oil’ made from gutter waste

 

[JayAtl]

Chinese police find slaughterhouse selling cat meat

Police claim owners of underground abattoir in a village in eastern China were selling cat meat to butchers who then repackaged it and sold it as rabbit

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/10417032/Chinese-police-find-slaughterhouse-selling-cat-meat.html

 

[JSCh]

Cat meat is a traditional cuisine in some region of China. I have always thought that they would be more expensive than rabbit.
Food safety is a continuous problem in China, and the Chinese central government has make it a priority to deal with the problem. There are numerous legislation and amendment made to deal with the issue. Given the size of China, it is not an easy task.

 

[bolo]

Criminals are involved, so what does this have to do with Chinese government?. It is illegal to do this. If caught these perpetrators should get the maximum punishment.

 

[Genesis]

sorry, we are not as rich as India, we are catching up though. Wish us luck.

We can only imagine the high quality of food available to the Indians due to the high development level and income. We can only hope to see you in the distance and never catch up.

 

[Sashan]

The food safety in China is a concern that Nytimes has opened a separate section to publish various news about contamination of foods in China.

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/china/food-safety/

 

[chhota bheem]

Criminals are involved, so what does this have to do with Chinese government?. It is illegal to do this. If caught these perpetrators should get the maximum punishment.

What happened for sudden change of heart you dont want to raise your concerns if you where living there.

 

[bolo]

What happened for sudden change of heart you dont want to raise your concerns if you where living there.

this is a different matter. illegal activities vs legal companies exporting contaminated products. Surely you know the difference.