Chinese consumption

China is not self-sufficient in oilseeds and has had a total net import of nearly 700,000 tonnes over the past four years (Earl, 1980). The Chinese are striving to achieve greater self-sufficiency in oil and meal using rapeseed as a means to that end. Production of rapeseed in China has almost doubled since 1978 (Table IV). Effective research and development programs are under way to develop low glucosinolate varieties with technical and scientific advice from Canada. It is noteworthy that the Chinese consumption of vegetable oil is currently estimated at 6 to 9 kg/capita/year compared to the Canadian consumption of over 14 kg/capita/year (Sarsons, 1980). 

There are two key reasons for the China Price. One is simply that it is a gigantic buyers market. Of course, when the global supply of commodities is strained by Chinese consumption, the price is actually driven up, as we well know. However, for many products, the China Price is simply the result of the buyers ability to play competitors against each other. 

Isofiavones have also been found in mothers milk following consumption of roasted soyabeans or if eating a traditional Chinese diet. The possibility that feeding of soy-based infant milk could be harmful has been noted by Turner and... 

High levels of isoflavone consumption are reached only in typical Asian diets (Chen et al., 1999 Nagata et al., 1997 Adlercreutz et al., 1991), with a peak at approximatively 100 mg/day in the Hong Kong Chinese population (Ho et al., 2000). In Western countries, isoflavone intake is much lower. The most recent evaluations in the USA (de Kleijn et al., 2001), as well as in different European countries, indicate a mean intake of isoflavones of less of 1 mg/day. Even amongst EU consumers eating mainly soy foods it does not exceed 6-10 mg/day (van Erp-Baart et al., 2003). 

CHEN z, ZHENG w, CUSTER L J, DAI Q, SHU X o, JIN F and FRANKE A A (1999) Usual dietary consumption of soy foods and its correlation with the excretion rate of isoflavonoids in overnight urine samples among Chinese women in Shanghai. Nutr Cancer. 33 (1) 82-7. 

Villegas R, Shu XO, Gao YT, Yang G, Elasy T, Li H and Zheng W. 2008. Vegetable but not fruit consumption reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes in Chinese women. J Nutr 138(3) 574—580. 

The level of U.S. consumption is about 110 times that of the Chinese level for plastics and 180 times for ethylene. Given the absolute shortage of resources relative to its population, China will not be able to attain the level of petrocivilization enjoyed by the U.S., nor is China likely to try. If China s economic planners can quadruple the consumption levels of ethylene (to 1.2 kg/cap) and plastics (2.4 kg/cap) by 1985 (implying an annual growth rate of 32%), they will have done well. 

The Chinese are also counting on petrochemical feedstock to promote synthetic substitutes for the huge quantities of edible oils used industrially (i.e., in the paint industry). Edible oil supply is still deficient in China (China imported 36 million worth of soybean oil from the U.S. in 1979 to help alleviate the shortage), and is rationed. The use of petrochemical derivatives should help boost the per-capita edible oil consumption (less than one-quarter kg/month), and correct some dietary deficiencies. 

Table 2.14 Chinese market in 2005 estimations of consumption and average annuai grovrth rates...

Danshen, the dried root and rhizome of S. miltiorrhizae (Fig. 2), is another Chinese botanical product used for its ability to alleviate menstrual irregularities, as well as for its vasodilative and hypotensive functions in a variety of cardiovascular conditions (8). The botanical product had also been shown to inhibit platelet aggregation in vitro (9). Danshen is widely available in different preparations for oral consumption, with usual dose range of 9 to 15 g per decoction. In addition, its increasing popularity is reflected by its availability even in Chinese cigarettes (10). 

In a case-control study Ingram et al [222] reported a significant reduction in breast cancer risk among both premenopausal and postmenopausal women who consumed phytoestrogens. In a study of Asian-Americans of Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino heritage, it was reported that tofu consumption was significantly and inversely associated with breast cancer [223],... 

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