August 28, 2014

China cracks down on chicken feet scandal

Chinese authorities have seized more than 30,000 tonnes of tainted chicken feet across four provinces, the Washington Post reported.

The tainted meat was found in nine factories in four provinces, and 38 people have been arrested in connection to the illegal sales network nationwide.

Chinese officials first found evidence of tainted chicken feet in a factory in Yongjia in September. Further investigation revealed an even wider network of production facilities contaminating the poultry with products such as bleach and disinfectants, which are used to improve the appearance of meat.

The seized poultry was valued at over US$48 million. Police are still looking for 11 suspects. The scandal comes after Shanghai Husi Food came under the spotlight for the alleged reprocessing of expired meat earlier in July.