Submitted By: Glenn Hughes

The US Olympics team will be bringing its own food to the games this year. One of the concerns for athletes is that chicken, as well as other foods in China, contain such high levels of steroids that athletes could potentially test positive.

Despite China’s assurance that their food is safe, the US Olympic Committee or USOC has arranged with several US companies to ship 25,000 pounds of food to China for their athletes. This move was spurred by concerns of pesticides, veterinary drugs, steroids and other compounds that could potentially end up in the final food product. One of the most recent concerns came from dumplings shipped to Japan where people complained that pesticides made their way into the food poisoning at least 10 people.

China responds by showing regrets that the US team will not be dining with the other athletes in a communal environment. Authorities insist that food in Beijing has been properly monitored and that steroids such as clenbuterol have been banned in food production. One article even states that mice will be used as test subjects to ensure the safety of the food being served to the athletes.

The United States team will have to comply with all of the import standards that apply to bringing food into China and all relevant regulations. Although this issue has not been completely resolved, China has stated that it will not allow any outside food to be brought into Olympic Village.
Olympians Banned from Bringing Food into Village

Dr. Carr posted on Cultural Knuckleheads, does the USOC fit this description? We are guests in China, rejecting food being offered to the Olympians. China has offered that their food is safe and has put procedures in place to ensure that nothing is tainted. Pasture to plate monitoring for food in Beijing has been taking place over the past months using barcodes and other tracking methods to make sure food does not get tainted. Thus far we are the only Olympic team to be publicized as doing such. Being so closely tied with China, is it wise for a country to make such a move?