# Mmm...Buns Made Out Of Cardboard, Yummy... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 12, 2007, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531 "2007-07-12T19:26:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/1 "2007-07-12T19:26:33Z")
Just when you think you have heard all of the horror stories of badly prepared food comes [this article](http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/07/12/cardboard.food.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories) From the article: "The hidden camera follows the man, whose face is not shown, into a ramshackle building where steamers are filled with the fluffy white buns, traditionally stuffed with minced pork. The surroundings are filthy, with water puddles and piles of old furniture and cardboard on the ground. “What’s in the recipe?” the reporter asks. “Six to four,” the man says. “You mean 60 percent cardboard? What is the other 40 percent?” asks the reporter. “Fatty meat,” the man replies. The bun maker and his assistants then give a demonstration on how the product is made. Squares of cardboard picked from the ground are first soaked to a pulp in a plastic basin of caustic soda – a chemical base commonly used in manufacturing paper and soap – then chopped into tiny morsels with a cleaver. Fatty pork and powdered seasoning are stirred in. Soon, steaming servings of the buns appear on the screen. The reporter takes a bite. “This baozi filling is kind of tough. Not much taste,” he says. “Can other people taste the difference?” “Most people can’t. It fools the average person,” the maker says. “I don’t eat them myself.” ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/2 "2007-07-12T19:30:37Z")
Buns of Steel, and now Buns of Cardboard. I always wonder what goes into those pretzels and things I get from street vendors. I’d like to think they’re more scrupulous in the US, but…you gotta wonder. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/3 "2007-07-12T19:38:58Z")
Quit your complaining. The things have plenty of fiber! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/4 "2007-07-12T19:53:51Z")
What do you REALLY think was in your dinner last night, **tdn**? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/5 "2007-07-12T19:59:50Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] What do you REALLY think was in your dinner last night, **tdn**? [/QUOTE] The piece of fish I had last night was perfectly fine. The piece of fish I had for lunch this afternoon, however – yeah, I think it had once been through someone’s printer. ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/6 "2007-07-12T20:03:38Z")
The cardboard hum bow is good, but I prefer the shoeleather katsu. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/7 "2007-07-12T20:05:55Z")
“This meal isn’t worth the paper they printed the menu on!” “Sir, I can assure you it is…about four times that much, in fact.” ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/8 "2007-07-12T20:19:42Z")
Heck, here in Chicago at Moto, you pay [for the privelege of eating the menu.](http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1042445,00.html) (OK. It’s on starch paper printed with “meat-flavored inks.”) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/9 "2007-07-12T20:26:22Z")
Huh. Never thought about that before. You can’t spell pigment without pig. ---
**Author:** ![kitemaker\_chuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a88e4f/32.png) [@kitemaker\_chuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitemaker_chuck)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/10 "2007-07-13T02:17:08Z")
How many calories does cardboard have anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/11 "2007-07-13T04:22:00Z")
I am so totally cooking everything from scratch now. ::glances dubiously at husband’s stock of prepared “food products”:: ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/12 "2007-07-13T04:58:25Z")
Whenever someone says. “Regulation is bad for business,” remember this. I saw this story earlier today, and then on my way home, I passed Kay’s Chuck Wagon. It’s a trailer that drives to job sites and sells food. I’m onto them , now. I know what’s in the stew, Kay! ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/13 "2007-07-13T05:27:09Z")
It was on the news in Japan this morning as well and my Tawanese wife signed because the horrible state of affairs in China is well-known. She’s always refused t buy any food grown in China. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/14 "2007-07-13T12:27:13Z")
“Pig meat? I thought you said Pigment!” ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/15 "2007-07-13T12:49:39Z")
[QUOTE=miss elizabeth] Whenever someone says. “Regulation is bad for business,” remember this. [/QUOTE] But…but…the market! The market will work itself out! :eek: 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/16 "2007-07-13T12:54:56Z")
Yeah, the market will work things out. AFTER someone (or many someones) has died or gotten very sick. Maybe we should be having the kids read Upton Sinclair again. ---
**Author:** ![Borborygmi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/borborygmi/32/217_2.png) [@Borborygmi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Borborygmi)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/17 "2007-07-13T13:17:32Z")
My husband, some hotshot. _Here’s_ his ancient Chinese secret: cardboard! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/18 "2007-07-13T13:22:09Z")
Ancient Chinese Secret, Haaaaah? (I’m dating yself. and you.) ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/19 "2007-07-13T13:28:14Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] Ancient Chinese Secret, Haaaaah? (I’m dating yself. and you.) [/QUOTE] CalMeacham, take me away… 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2007, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531/20 "2007-07-13T13:36:10Z")
Reminds me about CONSUMER REPORTS-they found that a lot ofbottle apple juice contained nothing but sugar, water, and apple flavoring. But this is truly bizarre-if it says “pork” it ought to contain porl, NOT pork-flavored cardboard. I wonder if all of this bad press is starting to hurt Chinese food exports? My wife and i will not purchase any imported foodstuffs now. of course-you have the problem of spices-i read recently that MOST shipments of spices 9primarily from tropical countries) are heavily contaminated with molds, bacteria, and general filth-should we swear off pepper? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmm-buns-made-out-of-cardboard-yummy/411531.md?page=2)