Russians are interesting people. They have strict guidelines on many food items and if you do not meet that criteria laid out by Russia then take you food somewhere else. This is what many countries find when they try to short change the system. We have seen pork from Germany, chicken/pork/beef from America, veggies from the EU, beef from Brazil and many other items bite the dust. I have to say that I am glad that they do it…
As I have heard several times while running around Russia: “The facts are that the world’s governments have allowed standards of food quality to drop so much is affecting the worlds qualities of foods! This is all in the name of that worshiped piece of paper called a dollar!” – Hmm, is what I say to that…
Well today we will talk about cheese: Russian consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor officially imposed on Wednesday a ban on cheese supplies from three Ukrainian producers over their failure to meet Russian food standards. It seems that all famous “Palm Oil” ingredient has found its way into Ukraine cheese as a filler additive. This has been going on for months and Russia has fired warning shots twenty times or more. This is not something new…
Okay I know if I did not live here then I would most likely say, “What? Cheese is cheese!” (Well as I have learned over the years – Not really…) And Ukraine is playing on this type of typical response in the world and singing the blues…
But since I live here (Russia) knocking on the door of 6 years now. I say, “Yup – Russians love their cheese and they do not like the wrong fat added into the cheese, so then keep your cheese!” I love Russian cheese because it is really good cheese and I want my cheese to be cheese and nothing but cheese…
Russia has several quirks that I agree with: Real Butter, Real Honey, Real Cheese, Real Meat and Real fresh veggies…
Now Palm Oil is added to cheese, because it is cheap, cheap, cheap and did I say cheap? Now the Ukrainians are having a fit and the Western press is definitely on the Ukraine side, but hey we have to eat it in Russia and I personally do not want it. I read my labels and Palm Oil is not on the list of an ingredient in any of my foods. The last time I checked cows and goats did not eat palms in Russia and they are who I like my cheese to come from. Goats rule as far as great cheese…
Russia has made no secrete just like they do not make any secretes on most anything. Russia has been testing the cheese for months and made statement after statement that it is not passing the regulations and please Ukraine, fix it. This week they tested again and found that the ingredients in the cheese did not conform with the federation guidelines…
Russia is a strange country compared to most, when it comes to things like food regulations and at one time being a typical American I would have just shrug my shoulders at the trash that we put in food all over the world. But now I have developed a better sense about what I should be putting into my body and I find that Russia has a good common sense about food…
That is why I love Russia…
Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia!