Tainted cinnamon applesauce pouches that have sickened scores of children in the U.S. may have been purposefully contaminated with lead, according to FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones.

“We’re still in the midst of our investigation. But so far all of the signals we’re getting lead to an intentional act on the part of someone in the supply chain and we’re trying to sort of figure that out,” Jones said in an exclusive interview. The pouches found to be contaminated were sold under three brands — Weis, WanaBana and Schnucks — that are all linked to a manufacturing facility in Ecuador. The FDA says it’s conducting an inspection of that facility.

“My instinct is they didn’t think this product was going to end up in a country with a robust regulatory process,” Jones said. “They thought it was going to end up in places that did not have the ability to detect something like this.”

      • test113@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        As far as I know, it is the other way around. Catalonia wants to separate from Spain because they are the economic powerhouse region of Spain, in addition to cultural and ethnological reasons.

        There are reasons to boycott some Spanish production, significant water problems in certain regions due to unfavorable water contracts for the population, labor issues, etc., but definitely not like this. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-20345071

        https://www.thelocal.es/20230818/why-are-the-basque-country-and-catalonia-so-rich-compared-to-the-rest-of-spain

        https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2014/10/14/catalonias-independence-movement

        • chitak166@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          Sounds like they don’t want to pay taxes to support workers that made them rich.

          If I had to guess, Catalonia is where the white collar jobs are and they want to distance themselves from where blue collar jobs are.

          • test113@lemmy.world
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            11 months ago

            The data forming the basis for the economic argument is from the INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadística), it’s not “Catalonian propaganda.” link to INE: https://www.ine.es/dynt3/FMI/en/

            I do not argue for or against separation, thats their matter. I just wanted to clarify and add a few sources regarding the issue. I do belive economic differences contributed to the separation movement, though.

              • test113@lemmy.world
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                11 months ago

                If you were the one paying to keep most of the lights on, you might reconsider your position in the system as well. And yes, that is why we have political discourse; I wouldn’t word it or see it like you do, but again, yes, economic factors can be a bargaining chip in such political problems.

                For the Catalans I have spoken to, it’s more a cultural and historical thing that is amplified by the economic and political situation. Also, none of them believe or want to (fully) part with Spain, they want more self-determination and be more independent from Madrid but not leave Spain, much more like a state in the USA. But I have only spoken to two Catalan people about this issue, so it’s not a huge sample size.

                  • test113@lemmy.world
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                    11 months ago

                    Bro, I’m not engaged enough for this… again, I don’t argue for or against separation. I never said it wasn’t a feudal system. I said the two Catalans I spoke to said they want more freedom within the feudal system, namely more self-determination like the states in the USA, not a separation from Spain.

                    If you really think the INE is faking numbers to fit Catalan propaganda, then I don’t think you are able to make factual discussions or statements regarding the economic situation of this issue.

                    Just a quote from the INE to help underline my point:

                    “This statistical operation adopts the methodology contained in the European System of Economic Accounts (ESA-2010) in compliance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No. 549/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 21 May, as do the rest of the statistical operations that make up the Spanish National Accounts, which guarantees the international comparability of its results.”

      • BigDanishGuy@sh.itjust.works
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        11 months ago

        The most prosperous region of Spain, which is actively trying to get independence, is stealing money from the rest of the country?

        It seems to me, that “cutting” off Catalonia’s supposed theft, would be as easy as letting them leave.

        • qdJzXuisAndVQb2@lemm.ee
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          11 months ago

          There is a high concentration of Spanish industry in the region, and a major cargo port in Barcelona. Madrid and Barcelona are, by far, the moat important cities in the country.