Where is baby food in target

Yumi enters retail at Target stores nationwide

Founded as a subscription-based direct-to-consumer brand delivering fresh baby food purées for busy parents, Yumi has expanded into adjacent areas of puffs, bites, and bars, growing by 20x in the process (from 2019-2022).

The lessons gained from its three years of operating as a DTC brand - attracting over $88m in total funding from high-profile industry investors along the way - has positioned the company well for retail success, Yumi co-founder and president Evelyn Rusli told FoodNavigator-USA.

"Going direct-to-consumer is a great way to start and build a brand, but ultimately you want to be where your families and consumers are," added Rusli.

"For us when we thought about building and scaling Yumi, it was always part of the plan to go omnichannel."

While Yumi has built a close-knit community of families through its online site, which puts together customized menus for families based on their child's specific nutritional needs and developmental stage, entering retail will give the brand access to a whole new pool of consumers who are looking for healthier options in the toddler snacking set.

And choosing Target as its first retail partner was a no-brainer as the retailer provides a solid launching point for many brands, according to Rusli.

"Target has an incredible track record when it comes to bringing brands into retail and building them... which is why you see so many brands start at Target," she said, noting that unlike other traditional brick-and-mortar grocery stores, Target has become a destination for many families who are more open to discovery when inside the store.

"When you’re going to Target, it’s not just about picking up the essentials, it’s learning about the latest and greatest in a new category."

In terms of merchandising, the brand will occupy four feet of retail space in Target stores with a fully dedicated aisle end cap and in-store merchandising in key doors.

Expanding the toddler snacking set

For its entry into retail, Yumi will be selling two toddler snack bars exclusive to Target containing nine superfood veggies, 13 essential nutrients, and zero grams of added sugar available available in three flavors: strawberry & rhubarb, blueberry & purple carrot, and apple cinnamon & squash.

Target will also be selling Yumi's other new product line, rice-free meltable puffs in apple & broccoli, and strawberry basil, and apple cinnamon & squash.

"We wanted to create a set of products that parents could feel good about because parents understand that every bite really does matter," said Rusli.

"I think snacks sometimes get relegated to being seen as empty calories or just a distraction tool," she added, noting how each of its products were developed with an eye towards addressing the most common nutritional deficiencies among children in the US. For instance, each Yumi bar contains nearly one-third of the daily recommended intake of iron.

'Snacks sometimes get relegated to being seen as empty calories or just a distraction tool'

Asked how the past few years have shaped family eating habits and how the company is responding to those shifts in consumer behavior, Rusli said, "Families today are far more informed than past generations," adding that discussions around heavy metals in baby food have become as commonplace as concerns around added sugar and essential vitamins and minerals.

To give parents further peace of mind, Yumi received the Clean Label Project's Purity Award, which tests for over 400 contaminants including heavy metals and other toxins in baby food.

"We want to empower parents with information and give them convenient snack time options where they don’t have to worry or be concerned about the way it was made. We as an industry have to take those steps because parents are stressed enough," she said.

Looking further ahead to its full retail roadmap, Rusli added that rolling out its full line of products to brick-and-mortar stores such as its baby food purées could be on the table but that the company is most focused on testing the waters with Target for its initial retail launch.

"It’s part of the larger plan to eventually bring all of the different categories into brick and mortar," added Rusli.

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Reducing Exposure to Toxic Elements in Baby Foods

Three brands in this article — Gerber, Beech-Nut, and Happy Baby — were mentioned in a February 2021 Congressional Report for products containing significantly high levels of toxic heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury. The FDA has since launched the Closer to Zero: Action Plan for Baby Foods to address exposure to toxic elements from eating baby foods.

Best overall baby food: Beech-Nut Naturals Stage 1
Best organic baby food pouches: Plum Organics Stage 1
Best budget-friendly baby food: Gerber Organic 1st Foods
Best baby food for constipation: Gerber Natural 1st Foods (Pear)
Best organic jarred baby food: Happy Baby Organics Clearly Crafted Stage 1
Best personalized subscription service: Cerebelly
Best fresh baby food: Once Upon a Farm Cold-Pressed Organic Baby Food
Best first baby cereal: Gerber Organic 1st Foods Single Grain Cereal
Best, most interesting baby food blends: Little Spoon Complex Solids
Best all-around clean baby food: Baby Gourmet

Best overall baby food

Beech-Nut Naturals Stage 1

This affordable baby food is an all-around fan favorite. Beech-Nut baby foods come in recyclable glass jars and are available in both natural and organic varieties. Blends are available in every stage, from single-ingredient foods for brand-new eaters (like butternut squash and plum) to multi-food blends with chunkier textures for older babies.

The ingredients in Beech-Nut baby foods are simple, with no artificial additives. Plus, these little glass jars are available at most grocery stores, so they’re easy to find. However, while it’s great for recycling purposes, glass can be dangerous — always supervise your little one around glass.

Beech-Nut Naturals are free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) but not certified organic (unless you shop their organics line). They contain no added sugar.

Shop now at Walmart

Best organic baby food pouches

Plum Organics Stage 1

If sustainability, organic foods, and non-GMO ingredients are important to you, Plum Organics has a great line of baby food options to try.

Their BPA-free pouches are super convenient and available in a variety of fruits, veggies, and grains for each stage of eating. These foods have no added salts or sugars, so they’re nutritious and simple for baby’s maturing digestive system. They’re also widely available and can be purchased in bulk for greater savings.

And while feeding experts definitely discourage using pouches exclusively, there’s no denying that pouches are very convenient for occasional on-the-go feedings. To make sure your baby is still progressing in their journey through solid foods, try squeezing the pouch contents into a spoon. And be sure to watch out for the small plastic caps, as they’re a choking hazard.

Plum Organics is certified organic and non-GMO, and their baby food doesn’t contain added sugar.

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Best budget-friendly baby food

Gerber Organic 1st Foods

Gerber is the classic baby food brand, and they’ve made changes over the last few years to make their food more health-conscious (e. g., starting an organic line). Yet they have maintained their status as one of the most affordable prepared baby food brands on the market.

They offer benefits like glass jars, organic ingredients, and a wide variety of food choices at a lower cost than some other brands on our list.

Gerber Organic is USDA organic, non-GMO, and free of added sugar.

Shop now at Walmart

Best baby food for constipation

Gerber Natural 1st Foods (Pear)

Sometimes babies get a little constipated when they’re beginning their solid food journey, especially if they’re eating a lot of dairy or iron-fortified cereal. In addition to continuing breast milk, some foods may help relieve your little one’s digestive discomfort, including all the “P” fruits.

So prunes, pears, plums, and peaches are some options to help keep tiny bowels on the move. You can find great fruit purees in any brand on our list, but one of the more cost-effective is the Gerber brand. The good news is that many babies love fruit, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get your little one to down some prunes or pears.

This product is made with non-GMO ingredients and pears grown with Clean Field Farming practices. It doesn’t contain added sugars.

Shop now at Walmart

Best organic jarred baby food

Happy Baby Organics Clearly Crafted Stage 1

Another great organic baby food option, the Happy Baby company offers their organic baby food jars at most stores — although not quite as widely as Beech-Nut and Plum Organics.

Happy Baby jars offer a wide variety of foods, from kale and mango to spinach and peaches and chia seeds. You can start with their single-ingredient jars (this is important for ruling out allergies, as well as to help baby learn to like spinach even when it’s not disguised by pears). Then, you can move on to their fruit and veggie blends as your little one grows.

High quality ingredients, creative flavors, and no artificial ingredients all make Happy Baby a solid (no pun intended) choice.

Happy Baby is USDA organic and doesn’t contain added sugars.

Shop now at Walmart

Best personalized subscription service

Cerebelly

Cerebelly allows you to personalize your subscription of baby food pouches based on your child’s age, leaning on science to determine what foods will benefit them at their stage of development.

You’ll take a quiz that asks about the current development and language cues your baby is showing (responding to their name, grasping toys, using noises to show emotion, etc.). It also asks about motor, social, and visual skills.

The results will clue you in on key nutrients that may benefit your little one and customize your baby food pouches based on this.

To boot, the brand has earned the Clean Label Project Purity Award (which evaluates products for toxins and contaminants), is certified USDA organic, and contains no added sugars.

Shop now at Cerebelly

Best fresh baby food

Once Upon a Farm Cold-Pressed Organic Baby Food

These organic, cold-pressed baby food pouches and cups are found in the refrigerated section at your grocery store (and yes, they have to be refrigerated at home). The company also has a subscription delivery option to make baby food even more convenient for your busy schedule.

Creative names like Wild Rumpus Avocado and Magic Velvet Mango will have you smiling, and the variety of flavors will (hopefully!) appeal to your little one. Once Upon a Farm offers a variety of food stages, so you can start with their purees and move on up to their finger and toddler foods as your baby grows.

Once Upon a Farm is certified organic and non-GMO. Their products contain no added sugars and are Clean Label Project certified.

Shop now at Target

Best first baby cereal

Gerber Organic 1st Foods Single Grain Cereal

This simple cereal is a great first food for baby. You can mix this one-ingredient whole grain cereal with breast milk, formula, or water to provide your little one with some crucial nutrients (such as iron) and experience with spoons and textures.

The AAP recommends oatmeal or multigrain cereals over rice cereals, as they have a lower risk of exposure to chemicals such as arsenic (which is sometimes a concern with rice products).

As your baby gets used to other foods, you can also mix this cereal with fruit or yogurt to provide a heartier meal.

Gerber Organic is certified USDA organic and non-GMO, but this product does contain some added sugars.

Shop now at Walmart

Best, most interesting baby food blends

Little Spoon Complex Solids

Once your baby is ready for more advanced blends, Little Spoon has a unique line of complex blends that contain multiple purees as well as other seeds and grains for texture.

For example, one blend contains quinoa, butternut squash, and apple. Another contains kale, white bean, pear, basil, quinoa, and avocado oil.

Little Spoon purees use certified organic and non-GMO ingredients. They’re free of added sugar.

Shop now at Little Spoon

Best all-around clean baby food

Baby Gourmet

Baby Gourmet is another Clean Label Project Purity Award winner, which means they go above and beyond to ensure their baby food is free of harmful toxins that naturally occur in the environment.

This Canadian company is also set to donate 1 million meals to vulnerable populations by 2025. It’s founded and run by moms, which can be reassuring.

Baby Gourmet is certified organic and non-GMO by both U.S. and Canadian standards. All packaging is BPA-free. Products contain no added sugar.

Shop now at Baby Gourmet

As a general guideline, it’s a good idea to start with iron-fortified baby cereals or pureed meats if your infant is breastfed. Breastfed babies are more likely to need extra iron than formula-fed babies.

It’s also advisable to start with simple, single-ingredient purees of meat, vegetables, and fruits.

Choosing brands that are certified organic, use BPA-free materials, and are conscious of using whole food ingredients (e.g., they don’t add “extras” like salt, sugar, or corn syrup) helps ensure a healthy start for your little one.

According to the AAP, you shouldn’t give babies under age 1 cow’s milk, honey, unpasteurized dairy, or undercooked meat, as these can be an infection risk for a baby’s developing immune system.

You’ll also want to avoid foods that are hard or sharp or present a choking risk (for instance, chips, nuts, popcorn, raisins, raw apples, raw carrots, whole grapes, hot dogs). For a more comprehensive guide to which foods to give and what to avoid, check out our article on infant nutrition and starting solids.

While experts used to advise waiting to introduce highly allergenic foods (such as dairy, wheat, nuts, and eggs) until after the first year, the experts now say that delayed introduction of these foods may increase a child’s risk of food allergies. So, with the guidance of your pediatrician, go ahead and introduce those foods within the first year.

Seek immediate emergency medical attention if you notice swelling of the tongue and mouth, wheezing, or trouble breathing after your child eats certain foods

Some babies are raring to go when it comes to trying food, while others may take a little more convincing. Either way, definitely get your camera on video mode, as there are bound to be some hilarious faces and some impressive food spillage along the way.

Here are some pro tips to help make the process as smooth as possible:

Wait until your baby shows signs of readiness for solid food.
Keep trying. It can take 5 to 10 exposures for a baby to accept a new food.
Make it fun and silly.
Cook and eat as a family as much as possible.
Let your baby play with the spoon and even the food! While incredibly messy, this helps them get comfortable with the textures, smells, and tastes of new foods.
Talk with your pediatrician if you have any questions or concerns. They’re a great resource and want to help you grow a happy, healthy baby.

What’s the best baby food for growth and weight gain?

If your baby is under 6 months and breastfeeding, it’s recommended that you stick to that exclusively for 6 months. When you’re ready to introduce solids after 6 months, it should be in addition to breastfeeding and formula, not as a replacement.

If your baby is formula-fed, they may begin eating solids sooner than 6 months. While no one specific food is recommended, a variety of foods and colors is best, including meats, vegetables, and fruits. One of the key foods that can help with growth and weight gain is avocados (high in healthy fats and fiber but low in sugar).

Always discuss your baby’s dietary changes with your pediatrician and attend regular checkups to monitor growth.

What’s the easiest food for babies to digest?

Just like adults, babies do best with regular bowel movements. If they’re having a hard time with this, oatmeal is one food known to be easy to digest and promote regularity, as it contains higher amounts of dietary fiber.

It may also help to focus on quantity. Try feeding your baby smaller meals more often, rather than fewer larger meals. This may be easier on their system and allow them to digest foods more easily.

What’s the best baby food to start with?

Mashed banana and avocado are some of the most popular solids to start with. Soft, ground oatmeal is also great. When it comes to fruit and vegetable purees, focus on variety, but don’t overdo it with those that are naturally high in sugar (such as berry purees).

Most importantly, at 6 months old, all foods should still be pureed and cooked. Once your baby is 9 months old and older, you can start to introduce vegetables cut into pieces. The only other no-no is honey, which they shouldn’t have until they’re over a year old.

It can feel like a lot of pressure to choose the best nutrition for your child, especially when trying to capitalize on the years before they start demanding chicken nuggets and ice cream. But there are a lot of great, healthy options available in 2022.

Whether you choose to make your own baby food, buy jars or pouches, or use a baby food subscription service, there are a number of resources to help you feed your baby.

Dummy targets - Ogonyok No. 42 (5068) dated 10/19/2008

71 10 min. ...

Chinese food scandals are a reason to take a closer look at yourself

Natalya ALYAKRINSKAYA

Last week, a tough circular of Rospotrebnadzor came into force: all Chinese products containing milk are outlawed, and the introduction of a method for determining melamine in dairy products is recognized as a priority for inspection authorities. Moreover, all food imports from China are allocated to the "zone of special attention". The question, however, is how justified is such a "narrowly focused" suspicion and, most importantly, will the return on fire measures be effective?

EXECUTION LIVE

Businessman Nikita Shpagin has been bringing Chinese food to Russia for 12 years. His clients are Chinese and Japanese restaurants. Spices, sauces, dried mushrooms, elite green tea - about 300 items in total - travel by sea or by rail through Moscow and St. Petersburg. The company headed by Nikita, a joint Russian-Chinese venture, is an atypical case for the Russian market: usually, according to the businessman, goods are brought to Russia either by the Chinese themselves or by Russians. Nikita has a special case: the company was founded together with a Chinese friend from his student years, and therefore the trust between the partners is one hundred percent. For 12 years of joint business, no scandals about the quality of the goods and only trusted suppliers. If anyone spoils the mood, then only illegal competitors.

“Our competitors are mostly shuttle traders,” says Nikita. The largest channel of illegal import is the Far East. But even if "black" importers wanted to smuggle everything legally, they would hardly be able to draw up all the documentation correctly: over the past few years, China has greatly tightened the requirements for the safety of goods.

Nikita's Chinese companion Wu Xiaohe confirms that every scandal serves as a lesson for the Chinese authorities.

“The melamine scandal is a good shake-up for the government,” she says. “People's health needs to be taken more seriously. We must pay tribute to the Chinese authorities: they react very quickly and harshly to such things. For example, after a series of scandals, certification in China became centralized.

The lessons that China is learning from such scandals are really hard. The most effective pedagogical technique is considered to be the death penalty, and it is shown live on television. This is how Zhen Xiaoyu, the former head of the Chinese Food and Drug Administration, was executed: in May last year, he was convicted of accepting $850,000 in bribes and illegally issuing pharmacological licenses. However, China's image in the international market is still thoroughly damaged. Here are just a few facts. August 2006: About 40 people in Beijing contracted meningitis after eating undercooked snails. November 2006: Carcinogen found in dye fed to ducks to keep their eggs fresh, 5,000 ducks slaughtered. March 2007: Approximately 100 pet foods exported from China to the US are recalled for melamine, which has caused the death of cats and dogs in the US. September 2007: Mattel recalls hundreds of thousands of toys made in China due to lead.

Obviously, the current melamine scandal is not the last: like any growing market economy, the Chinese one is not immune from mistakes and falls. But the conclusions from such states of emergency are unique for each partner of China. It is one thing for Europe with its ultra-modern laboratories, for which it is not difficult to see through low-quality goods, and quite another for Russia, for which the current scandal is an occasion to take a closer look at itself.

LOG IN THE EYE

The other day, an order from Rospotrebnadzor came to the laboratory of the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of the Dairy Industry. The title of the 12-page document is "Methodology for the determination of melamine in milk and dairy products. " The employees of the laboratory of the oldest dairy research institute have never encountered melamine in their lives: this substance is used in the production of plastics. But the Chinese managed to increase the protein content in milk with the help of melamine - and now an order is an order: for "high-performance liquid chromatography" (this is the method that will determine melamine), new equipment will have to be ordered, a standard sample of melamine purified from impurities, a special program for processing results, finally educate people. Despite the fact that dairy products and mixtures from China are not officially supplied to Russia, the order will have to be followed by all laboratories, one way or another connected with the dairy industry.

“This is another cannon fire at sparrows,” says Elena Yurova, head of the laboratory for techno-chemical control of the All-Russian Research Institute of the Dairy Industry. “We, as always, have excesses and shyness. The same thing happened when the hysteria about genetically modified components began. This is an important and necessary question, but determining GMOs in the same milk is a very dubious task. I am convinced that other indicators are much more important for the consumer.

But it is precisely these indicators that are not determined in the current state laboratories. For example, according to Yurova, food additives already included in domestic and foreign food products are not controlled at all.

—Analysis is done only on the main indicators — fats, proteins, carbohydrates, which are listed on the package. The labs don't take care of everything else," says Yurova. "Take, for example, yogurt. No one controls how much flavor was added there. No one cares about the filling in glazed cheese: only the curd-milk base is controlled, and the filling — coconut, fruit, any other — is not investigated, although it may contain components that are hazardous to health. And we are looking for melamine, which is not found in milk in 99 percent of cases.

But even if someone wanted to define something different, he would have failed: in terms of equipment, domestic state laboratories lag behind Western ones by at least 20 years. The reason is obvious: new equipment needs money, and a lot of it.

“Just yesterday we looked through the list of new equipment that allows measuring dioxins,” says Elena Yurova. “Laughter and tears: a complete set costs 650,000 euros. Even hypothetically, it is impossible to imagine that a Russian state institution would allocate such an amount. It takes years of work to settle such funding. In Europe, ordinary laboratories that analyze drugs are re-equipped every two years, while ours work for 30 years...

However, laboratories living in yesterday's day are not yet the biggest vice of the Russian consumer market. Much more dangerous is the system of getting goods on the Russian counter.

CERTIFICATE OF NON-CONFORMITY

“Invoices, certificates” is a familiar mumbling and can be heard today in almost any Russian market. Buying a fake certificate of quality is still a simple matter, even after 17 years of a market economy. Under such a system, both high-quality and low-quality goods of any country of origin - China, New Zealand or Russia - have absolutely equal chances to get on the counter.

“The certification system in Russia does not allow us to weed out low-quality products,” states Dmitry Yanin, Chairman of the Board of the International Confederation of Consumer Societies. “Checking the samples that entrepreneurs themselves bring for analysis is pointless: it is clear that none of them will carry milk to the laboratory with melamine. And then they import any products for these samples.

Selling certificates is a very profitable business: its cost is the price of a sheet of paper, printing, and ink. At the same time, conscientious entrepreneurs spend several months obtaining a legitimate certificate, and as a result, they are equalized in rights with fraudsters. Finally, the current certification system is absolutely useless for the consumer himself.

“This vicious system needs to be radically changed,” Dmitry Yanin is sure. “Mandatory certification should be abolished for most consumer goods so that entrepreneurs do not hide behind these pieces of paper and do not create ground for corruption. But at the same time, it is necessary to increase the financing of control measures, which are carried out either at the stage of importation, or already at the stage of circulation, when the goods enter the wholesale or retail markets. This is the most effective method of control.

It is worth noting: for a vicious certification system, corruption at customs, weak laboratories in Russia, no one is fired, arrested, and even less executed. In fact, international scandals a la melamine play into the hands of the existing state of affairs: you can fall into Sinophobia, and the fear of everything Chinese will shield the minds of citizens from pressing domestic problems.

“This ghost walks all the time,” Nikita Shpagin grins. “But we have been friends with China for a long time and have been working. And I absolutely know for sure: after some time, the boat will swing in the other direction.

Details

Axiety Source

Exports of low -quality food from China - headache for many countries

Chronology of the current global “melamine scandal” today cannot be established today - Chinese villages from unknown before the disease, young children began to languish a few years ago. By the time Chinese authorities figured out the cause of the strange illness—counterfeit baby milk powder—13 people had died. While the addresses of counterfeit manufacturers and the geography of supplies of poisoned products were being investigated, the number of sick babies was already in the hundreds. Today in China, over 54,000 young children are seriously ill, more than 100 are in a hopeless condition, 13,000 are bedridden...

MELAMIN TRAIL

The Chinese authorities have been investigating the case of counterfeit milk with particular prejudice. The minister responsible for food quality control in the country was dismissed. Also dismissed from his post was the mayor of Shijiazhuang City, the capital of the northern province of Hebei, home of San Lu, a major dairy producer and one of the three main culprits in the tragedy (the other two melamine milk producers are Mennyu and Yili"). San Lu was formerly a state-owned enterprise, now 43 percent of its shares are owned by the largest New Zealand firm. It was under pressure from New Zealand shareholders that San Lu admitted that the violations were known, but no action was taken. As of early October, 27 people have been arrested in the case of counterfeit milk. Among them are two brothers who daily delivered three tons of poison to San Lu for processing. According to investigators, they mixed melamine into the milk handed over to them by the peasants, as it did not meet the requirements of the company. For this, the brothers face the death penalty.

However, as analysts point out, it's not so much a specific crime committed by unscrupulous entrepreneurs and officials covering for them, but structural shortcomings in both China's food production and quality control system.

The Chinese government has taken a number of urgent measures to remedy the situation: infant milk powder has been completely withdrawn from trade, 5,000 inspectors have been sent to dairy production enterprises, 150 baby food testing centers have been established, and dairy product exports have been suspended.

IS GLOBALIZATION TO BE BLAMED?

China has become one of the world's largest producers of agricultural products in recent years. Even for the United States, whose food supplies are seriously diversified, Chinese imports are key in a number of segments—for example, seafood, canned vegetables, fruit juices, honey. As the US Food and Drug Administration states, along with some improvement in the quality of food supplied from China, it continues to be a source of concern in terms of the safety of a number of types of feed, food and medicine: the content of unauthorized drugs and food additives in Chinese seafood and other foods, and recently a chemical used in the production of antifreeze was found in Chinese toothpaste. The deaths of 4,000 pets last year caused a big stir in the United States—an investigation found they were fed food that contained poisonous ingredients made in China.

American experts claim that the US is the safest country in the world when it comes to food. But they also admit that the sanitary authorities are not able to fully track and prevent low-quality products from China from entering the market. This is all the more difficult to do in an era of globalization, when it is often impossible to determine the country of origin of many components from which products are made within the United States itself.

Many American food firms have for a long time preferred to buy cheap Chinese ingredients and have become effectively tied to supplies from China. Often they simply have no choice, as China has become a monopoly in the production of a number of medicines and nutritional supplements. Thus, it accounts for 80 percent of the world production of ascorbic acid, which is widely used in the manufacture of canned food, and only one manufacturer remains in the United States.

Experts believe that the most reliable way to verify the decent quality of Chinese products is to go to China and get acquainted with the production process on the spot. The recommendation is good, but last spring, Chinese-made vitamin A contaminated with a dangerous bacterium was found in the US in baby food made ... in Europe.

^{Valery Kistanov}

DOSSIE

Distribution dumplings

Chinese melamine showed in Japan: in the guise of a charming panda muzzle - a creamy bun with raw materials from the very same chemical chemistry. The Chinese poison did not come as a big surprise to the Japanese - the melamine scandal is just another wake-up call for them

In recent years, China has taken unprecedented steps in Japan to undermine confidence in its domestic consumption goods. A Chinese weight loss drug has led to severe liver disease in more than 700 people with three fatal outcomes. Pesticides exceeding the MPC were found in spinach, mushrooms and beans, synthetic antibiotics in acne, toxic substances in toothpaste. A "test shot" at the reputation of food from China was fired at the beginning of this year, when Japanese people who were poisoned by Chinese dumplings with methamidophos were brought to the hospital in batches. This agricultural pesticide has been banned in Japan for 20 years, but is still widely used in China. At first, the Chinese stubbornly did not admit their guilt and put forward the most exotic versions of the scandal. There were even suggestions that the poison was introduced into dumplings already in Japan by opponents of good neighborly Japan-China relations. The “dumpling case” took a new turn in early July: a wave of poisoning with a dangerous product swept through China itself.

Beijing informed Tokyo about the incident on the eve of the G8 summit in Hokkaido, but the Japanese government (at the request of the Chinese) made this information public only a month later. This hit the reputation of Premier Fukuda's administration hard. Fukuda is no longer prime minister, and the impact of the "dumpling case" on his resignation should not be underestimated.

After the poisonous frozen dumplings incident, food imports from China fell by a third. But that's all... Thirteen percent of all Japanese food imports come from China, and it's very difficult to reorganize the supply chain of cheap products, and even when the cocktail of world crises makes everyone tighten their belts. The Chinese syndrome hit Japanese consumers thoroughly, but the termination of the food union with China by Japan, even with numerous betrayals of the partner, looks problematic.

^{Sergey Volkovsky}

Astastics

^{Source: Russian-Chinese Business Council}

^{Photo: Bobby YIP/Reuters, Reuters} 9000 9000

What kind of reactive tu-141 " applied by the APU? | In the world | Politics

06.12.2022 16:00

Alexey Kozachenko

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

6699

Category: International relations

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Ukrainian military periodically uses the Tu-141 Strizh for reconnaissance and attack on positions. Presumably, according to military correspondent Alexander Kots and a number of media outlets, two drones of this type attempted to attack military airfields of strategic aviation in the Ryazan and Saratov regions.

Tu-141 "Strizh" is a reusable Soviet operational-tactical reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by OKB im. Tupolev, was part of the VR-2 or Swift complex. Photo: Wikipedia

"Strizh" is a Soviet-made reactive operational-tactical reconnaissance drone, made its first test flight almost fifty years ago. Tu-141s were produced at an aircraft factory in Kharkov, a total of 150 aircraft of this class were assembled, most of which remained on the territory of Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Currently, most of the Swifts remaining in combat-ready condition are in service with a squadron of unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, which is deployed in the village of Raukhovka, Odessa region. The number of Tu-141s suitable for use is not called.

In Russia, these drones did not take root, they were replaced by more technologically advanced, compact and easier to control UAVs. The Ukrainian defense industry, on the contrary, tried to create modernized versions of the Tu-141 with the introduction of modern technologies. One of the projects involved the installation of a large warhead on the Swifts. Thus, the UAV was actually turned into a long-range guided missile.

The Strizh is launched by a rail-guided self-propelled launcher with a launch booster. The flight range is one thousand kilometers. The Tu-141 is controlled according to the same principles as the spacecraft launch vehicles. For this, Doppler speed meters, radio altimeters and various computers are used.

For each UAV, a flight task is specified separately, an algorithm of simple actions, including movement along straight sections and several simple turns. In Soviet times, such drones were equipped with photographic equipment and a special reconnaissance system, but now they are probably equipped with more modern equipment and are able to transmit data in real time.

It was supposed to be a reusable drone, so a return system was provided. The landing of the Swift was carried out using a system that included a parachute for dampening speed and a main one for landing.

"Swift" received an unusual spindle-shaped elongated design with a KR-17F turbojet engine with a capacity of almost two thousand kgf. A powerful power plant allows it to maintain a cruising speed of up to one thousand kilometers per hour. This makes it one of the fastest drones in the world. The total length of the Tu-141 exceeds fourteen meters, the wingspan reaches four, the takeoff weight is over five tons.

The Soviet army regularly launched Tu-141s during exercises, most often they were used as aerial targets for training anti-aircraft missile systems. Intelligence equipment was not used. The first combat use of UAVs occurred during the Afghan war, where these aircraft were used to conduct reconnaissance operations in the mountains. There are also cases of using these aircraft in the 80s and 90s by the Syrian army to conduct reconnaissance of Israeli positions.

Since 2014, Ukraine has periodically used the Tu-141, including during combat operations with the Russian military.