September 22, 2011
Majority of China's meat products are free of clenbuterol, thanks to the country's four-month crackdown on the illegal fat-burning additive, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) said Wednesday (Sep 21).
According to the MOA, 99.3% of the country's animal products passed the ministry's second-quarter tests of clenbuterol content, the best level recorded since 2001.
Over 980 suspects were arrested in a national crackdown on the manufacture and sale of clenbuterol, which is banned as a food additive because of its toxic attributes, the MOA said.
The campaign was launched in April after the Shineway Group, China's largest meat processing company, was found to be purchasing pigs that had been fed with adulterated pig feed.
During the campaign, 2.5 tonnes of clenbuterol and 5.9 tonnes of meat containing clenbuterol were confiscated, according to the MOA.