December 16, 2011
China's Shanghai uncovers clenbuterol-tainted beef
Two cases of lean meat powder being added illegally to beef were found in Shanghai by the end of November, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Wednesday (Dec 14).
Officials said the FDA inspected 1,556 pieces of pork and beef products, and two pieces of beef were found to contain 6-7 milligrams of clenbuterol per kilogramme. The legal upper limit of clenbuterol, which can make meat leaner, is 2 mg/kg. The unqualified products have been discarded, officials said.
Clenbuterol can lead to cancer, heart disease and early puberty, the FDA said. The lean meat powder is commonly used illegally on pork, but recently it has also shown up in beef and mutton.
