On November 12, 1987, the first KFC in China opened for business in Qianmen, one of Beijing's busiest districts. It aroused debate on whether it was proper to open a foreign fast-food restaurant opposite Tian'anmen Square. But a long line of customers in front of the shop was the public's direct answer. Within ten months it recouped its capital outlay and had the highest sales volume of any KFC outlet in the world. At that time, people's average monthly salary was around RMB 100, making a set KFC meal of RMB 10 by no means cheap. Still, people went for the American fast food. For a period it was a vogue to hold birthday parties or weddings in KFC outlets, as it was regarded as being close to Western culture. In 1991, McDonald's opened its first mainland Chinese outlet in Shenzhen. By 2007, KFC had more than 2,000 branches on the Chinese mainland, and by the following year McDonald's had more than 1,000. American fast food restaurants have begun to open in county-level cities, and it is not uncommon to see farmers eating foreign fast food. Russian and French cuisine, Japanese cooking and Korean barbeque have also entered China. Some large supermarkets have set up special counters for imported foods.
This turning point in Chinese people's dietary habits has seen a rapid increase in the intake of meat and fat, and a decrease in the intake of fruit and vegetables. According to three national surveys on nutrition, conducted respectively in 1982, 1992 and 2002, China's per capita meat consumption increased 10-fold from 1961 to 2000. However, modern lifestyles are gradually seeing the intensity of people's physical activity decreasing, and chronic diseases linked to sedentary lifestyles in developed countries are also becoming prevalent among China's urban inhabitants, and are spreading to rural areas.
On the positive side, Chinese people's intake of salt is decreasing, partly because people eat less pickled vegetables. However, the present intake of salt is still double the 6 grams per day suggested by the World Health Organization. Many local governments have distributed salt measuring spoons free of charge in an attempt to discourage high salt consumption.
In the 21st century, Chinese people's diets are rich and colorful, and many have the desire to try new things. Various local cuisines go in and out of fashion across the country, but Sichuan cuisine, known for its hot flavor, is a perennial favorite. Popular dishes include Hot and Spicy Lobster, Sauteed Crab in Hot Spicy Sauce, and Hot and Spicy Fish Stew.
Especially since the SARS outbreak, people have shifted from a focus on what's "good to eat" to "eating properly." Foods made from coarse grains have come back to dining tables because they are rich in vegetable fiber and trace elements, and milk has become a daily necessity rather than a luxury item.
Milk is considered by Chinese to be a food of magic functions. It is reported that the average height of Japanese youngsters is greater than that of Chinese youths because the former consume more milk. In the early 1990s, the average annual consumption of milk among Chinese youngsters was 2-3 kg per capita. In 2003, President Hu Jintao linked the consumption of milk to the enhancement of the Chinese nation's physical quality. In 2006, Premier Wen Jiabao said, "I have a dream: that every Chinese person, especially children, can drink one pound of milk per day." At present, many families have replaced soybean milk with cow's milk for breakfast. The annual per capita consumption of milk products in urban areas increased from 9.23 kg in 1992 to 24.87 kg in 2007, and in rural areas from 1.16 kg to 3.52 kg.
In 2001, the Ministry of Agriculture started the Action Plan for Pollution-free Food, and in 2004 the state promulgated Measures for Organic Product Certification and Administration. But due to high prices, organic foods initially had few buyers, and lackluster demand meant organic foods were the most over-stocked commodities in supermarkets. After food safety issues began catching people's attention, organic foods, especially vegetables and fruits, gradually became more popular, and people have begun to spend more money to "buy food safety." In April 2008, public opinion on the Draft of the Food Safety Law was solicited. Du Huizhen, president of the Society of Nutrition of Shandong Province, remarked, "It is a qualitative leap from the Food Hygiene Law to the Food Safety Law."
By Wu Na (www.chinatoday.com.cn)
Editor: Wen Yi
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