HOME TUTOR LILIAN LIM, who spends about $200 on traditional Chinese herbs every three months, says she will source for herbs from Taiwan or Korea instead. -- ST PHOTO: WANG HUI FEN

She stopped buying and eating them after the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore destroyed over two million salted and century eggs - they had contained a cancer-causing industrial dye.

She said: 'I used to buy century eggs at least once a month. I have stopped buying those from China and when I'm eating out, I tell my friends to stop me from eating them.'

A string of China food scares involving salted and century eggs, vegetables and, most recently the White Rabbit sweet, has led to some consumers avoiding China food products.

A poll of 200 people, conducted by The Sunday Times last week, found that one in five people have stopped buying food products from China.

Among the made-in-China items that people are avoiding or throwing away are century eggs, vegetables, mushrooms, canned luncheon meat and canned pork cubes.

Just being careful 'If I see $26 American ginseng from Canada and $18 ginseng from China, I would buy the one from Canada. I just want to be careful.' - JEWELLERY DESIGNER LOK WAI CHENG, 47, who buys ginseng once every three months and spends more than $100 each time Sworn off China meat 'My daughter told me not to buy canned food from China. You don't know what's inside.' - RETIREE WILLIAM KHOO, 74, who used to buy China-made canned luncheon meat ... more RELATED LINKS  Contaminated China Products  Supplies from China (2006)  'Hard to avoid China-made products'

'It's not that I don't trust AVA, but you can never be sure and I don't trust the China side,' said accounts assistant Andrew Chng, 34. He stopped buying China vegetables three months ago because of the high levels of pesticides.

Nine per cent of those who used to buy Chinese traditional medicines have stopped doing so.

Ms Fu said she used to buy China herbal teas to treat her coughs and colds. These days, she buys only the ones made in Singapore.

Home tutor Lilian Lim, 50, who spends about $200 on traditional Chinese herbs every three months, said: 'I'm definitely not buying any more products from China. I will look for the same herbs, but from Taiwan or Korea instead.'

For some consumers, even a 'Chinese sounding' brand name is enough to send them running.

Housewife Tang Li Min, 40, said: 'As long as the food brand sounds remotely like it has been made in China, like 'Qi Je' or 'Le Le', I don't buy it.'

Retiree Chan Fan Kong, 58, is so turned off by the food scandals that he has postponed his holiday to China.

He and his wife were planning to go to Beijing or Jiu Zhai Gou valley in Sichuan province.

He said: 'You never know what they may serve you there, even in the restaurants.'

Consumers' wariness towards China products has led to a 5 per cent drop in sales of China food and medicines at Cold Storage. The supermarket chain stocks fresh food, canned food and medicines from China. Other supermarkets contacted said they have not been affected by the China food safety scares.

Jewellery designer Lok Wai Cheng, 47, said: 'I'm okay with things like clothing from China, but when it comes to food, then those from China are a big no-no.'

simlinoi@sph.com.sg

jamieee@sph.com.sg

Additional reporting by Bryna Sim & Teh Shining

EATS A SCARY