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Food Scandals in China
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Milk scandal rocks China
16 infants diagnosed with kidney stones. Six infants died and a further 300,000 sickened by milk contaminated with melamine. Melamine is a chemical compound high in nitrogen. It is used in plastics, fertilizers, and flame retardants. Melanine was added to milk that had been diluted with water in order to mask the diminished protein content. In total, 22 companies were found to have used melamine in milk production. 2 of those involved were executed in 2009 and 19 others given jail time. -
Tainted pork makes 70 ill
At least 70 people fell sick after eating pork and organs from pigs that had been fed clenbuterol, an illegal animal feed additive that is used to keep the animals lean by preventing fat gain. Victims complained of stomach pain and diarrhea , and while it can be fatal, no deaths were reported. This instance follows a similar incident in Shanghai in 2006 where 330 victims suffered food poisoning from similar ly contaminated meat. -
Water-injected meat latest Chinese food scandal
It was reported that almost all beef and the majority of pork had been injected with water to raise the weight, and therefore value, by some rather sinister methods. Some livestock reportedly had water forced into their stomachs prior to slaughter. Others had water injected into the heart after slaughter. While water does not sound as dangerous as clenbuterol, it is just as if not more dangerous. Meat injected with water spoils faster and is more easily infected with toxin-producing bacteri -
1 in 10 meals in China may use recycled cooking oil
A professor of food science engineering at Wuhan Polytechnic states that 1 in every 10 meals in China might use illegal recycled cooking oil, often referred to as "gutter oil" or "swill oil". Professor He stated that the difficulty lies in the detection and identification of recycled oil. While the oil appears clear, it actually contains aflatoxins, which can cause cancer. -
Heavy metals taint Chinese rice
Research conducted by Nanjing Agricultural University showed that of the 91 samples taken from six regions nationwide, 10 percent of the samples showed elevated levels of cadmium, a highly toxic heavy metal found in industrial workplaces. The research found that the levels were higher in the southern regions of Guangdong, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, and the autonomous region of Guangxi Zhuang. In the soutern regions, cadmium levels were as high as 60 percent in samples taken. -
Glow in the dark pork?
A rather innocuous story in compaison where a Shanghai woman discoverred that her recently purchased pork was emitting a faint blue glow. According to the Shanghai Health Department, the pork was fine to eat once cooked although the glow was due to "secondary bacterial contamination". This was doing nothing to boost the public's trust in food safety. -
Pork-to-beef transformation common in markets
Using an additive known as "beef extract", small snack stores and shops are altering the appearance and taste of pork and chicken to resemble beef. Beef is considerably more expensive per kilogram than pork ($3.1 compared to $6.1 at the time of this story breaking) and vendors were trying to save money on the illegal transformation. The illegal food additive has been said to cause food poisoning, deformities, and cancer, Zhang Hongxu, a doctor at the Anhui Provincial Friendship Hospital. -
Toxic bean sprouts in Shenyang
Shenyang police seize 40 tons of bean sprouts, roughly equivalent to a third of all sprouts in the city's markets, that had been treated with sodium nitrate, as well as antibiotics and a plant hormone called 6-benzyladenine. Sodium nitrate helps to prevent bacteria growth in plants but can be toxic to humans and cause cancer. The sprouts are soaked in a chemical bath to make the sprouts grow bigger and look more appealing. -
Wal-Mart forced to close after misrepresenting pork
Wal-Mart closed 17 stores in Chongqing after it was discovered that the store had been selling regular pork as organic pork for over two years. The findings seriously damaged the company's reputation in China, eventually leading to CEO Ed Chan's resignation. Two Wal-Mart employees were arrested and 37 detained over the incident. -
Shrimp gelatin injections in Tianjin
Shrimp bought at a market in Tianjin were found to have been injected with a jelly-like substance to increase the weight and imrpove the texture of the product. While the Tainjin health authorities declared the substance no danger to humans, they warned consumers to take special care when buying shrimp. -
"World's Duck King" sells diseased ducks
Huaying Agriculture, a leading Chinese poultry company, announced that it had fired four employees after it was reported in local media that workers has sold diseased ducks to a local businessman. The businessman then processed the bucks in a "black" factory for resale to unsuspecting consumers. -
Formaldehyde cabbages cause for alarm
Food scandals continue to plague China's agriculture sector amid saftey concerns. Chinese vegetable growers have been spraying cabbages with formaldehye in order to prevent the spoiling of vegetables while in transit. Formaldehyde is commonly used as a disinfectant and embalming agent. It can cause breathing problems, digestive issues, and is a known carcinogen. -
Fake pig ears may lead to heart problems
In Ganzhou city, in the Jiangxi province, fake stewed pig ears made from gelatin and sodium oleate are the latest food safety issue in China. Pig ears are a popular snack in China, but these fakes are made using sodium oleate which makes the ears taste better and difficult to notice that they are counterfeit. However, it is the gelatin which could pose the greater danger. Some experts believe that the gelatin used could be industrial gelatin which is high in chromium and may lead to cancer.
