Sen. Rick Scott warns of dangers of Chinese garlic

There's a new threat to national security, according to one Republican senator, and it's not related to military concerns.

According to Business Insider, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) has sounded the alarm regarding Chinese-produced garlic, which he argued poses a national security concern given the methods in which it is grown and harvested.

The senator made his concerns known in a recent letter to the Department of Commerce.

"There is a severe public health concern over the quality and safety of garlic grown in foreign countries -- most notably, garlic grown in Communist China," Scott wrote.

He wants an investigation opened into the matter, arguing that all forms of garlic importation from China should be looked into.

"Whole or separated into constituent cloves, whether or not peeled, chilled, fresh, frozen, provisionally preserved or packed in water or other neutral substance," Scott wrote.

"You shouldn’t have to worry about the safety of the food you put on your kitchen table. I’m calling on @CommerceGov to investigate Communist China’s alleged practice of growing garlic in human feces. That doesn't belong in any grocery store near you," Scott wrote in an X post.

You shouldn’t have to worry about the safety of the food you put on your kitchen table.

I’m calling on @CommerceGov to investigate Communist China’s alleged practice of growing garlic in human feces. That doesn't belong in any grocery store near you. https://t.co/UvYG0WuLn2

— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) December 11, 2023

Business Insider noted:

Citing cooking blogs, home magazines, YouTube videos, and documentaries, he claimed that it was "well-documented" that garlic from China was fertilized with "human feces" and was grown in sewage.

Scott said that sometimes the garlic is bleached to make it look whiter and more appealing on store shelves.

He also warned that current importation methods can devastate domestic industries "saying that it could lead to unemployment, decreased public revenue, and loss of investment."

Social media users offered mixed reactions to Scott's latest initiative, with some saying that while it's shocking, there are higher priorities on which to focus.

"But yet our border is still wide open, I am sick of your no action and putting every Americans life in danger for terrorists to kill us. You must be primarily. There's no other way. We must vote for someone new to your seat," one X user wrote.

Another X user wrote, "So do something about. Ban China from owning land on our soil, bam students, ban any future investments etc etc."