商业报道:食品进口安全

There is nothing more American than a fall apple harvest. But you won't find these New York apples in your apple juice. Most apple juice contains concentrate from China and to a lesser¹ degree from Brazil, Argentina and Chile. And that hamburger, American beef, mixed with trim from at least 16 different countries. Bread, wheat gluten from China and Europe. Kellogg's popular Nutri-Grain Cereal Bar contains ingredients from the US and at least 7 other countries.

We are trying to manage this tremendous growth in imports without modernizing² our food safety laws. And so in fact, we are really not checking the foods adequately.

The Food and Drug Administration inspects just 1% of our imported food. There are fewer inspectors³ today than five years ago. Yet imports are exploding. According to the Agriculture Department, almost 15% of America's food is imported. 63 billion dollars worth last year from more than 175 countries. Many snacks and prepared meals contain ingredients from dozens of countries.

The more process, the more opportunities there are for those cost-conscious processors to save a few bucks⁴ by sourcing an ingredient from one country as opposed to another country.

This country imports some 14 billion dollars in fruits, vegetables in nets, up 53% in just the past few years. Snack food imports grew even more. Red meat imports jumpped 19%.

We are always going to have a more globalized food source. We are going to be importing more products from across the world, because that's what consumers are demanding.

He represents the big food companies, and says Americans want fruit year round. It's that consumer demand that will continue to drive food imports. But want to know where your food is from, you have to guess. Country of origin labeling is the law but it's been postponed⁵ until at least next year under pressure from industry.

Christine Romans, CNN, New York

Notes:

Outsourcing: The procuring⁶ of services or products, such as the parts used in manufacturing a motor vehicle, from an outside supplier or manufacturer in order to cut costs.

1 lesser   

adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地

参考例句：

• Kept some of the lesser players out.不让那些次要的球员参加联赛。
• She has also been affected,but to a lesser degree.她也受到波及，但程度较轻。

2 modernizing   

使现代化，使适应现代需要( modernize的现在分词 )； 现代化，使用现代方法

参考例句：

• Modernizing a business to increase its profitability and competitiveness is a complicated affair. 使企业现代化，从而达到增加利润，增强竞争力的目的，是一件复杂的事情。
• The young engineer had a large share in modernizing the factory. 这位年轻工程师在工厂现代化的过程中尽了很大的“力”。

3 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 bucks   

n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃

参考例句：

• They cost ten bucks. 这些值十元钱。
• They are hunting for bucks. 他们正在猎雄兔。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

6 procuring   

v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条

参考例句：

• He was accused of procuring women for his business associates. 他被指控为其生意合伙人招妓。 来自辞典例句
• She had particular pleasure, in procuring him the proper invitation. 她特别高兴为他争得这份体面的邀请。 来自辞典例句