Doctored meat prompts food market probes

The commerce administrator in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, ordered inspections on Monday for the city's produce markets after packages of frozen lamb that was mixed with beef, duck or horse meat were found being sold at six markets.

The Administration for Industry and Commerce of Zhuhai is investigating the case and will take further measures, said Wu Zhitang, director of the general office of the administration.

The city's food safety authority held a meeting on Monday with the administration for industry and commerce, the administration of quality supervision, inspection and quarantine as well as the food and drug administration to require special inspections in their fields of responsibility, according to an official with the authority surnamed Hu.

Reporters from Guangzhou-based Yangcheng Evening News broke the news about the dubious lamb meat after they bought seven packages of frozen lamb at six produce markets in Zhuhai. They had the meat tested at the Zhuhai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau last week.

The meat contained a mixture of lamb and either beef, duck or horse meat, the newspaper reported on Monday. Lamb meat is popular for hot pot meals in the winter.

The reporters had received tips from city residents that the lamb meat offered at many produce markets was being sold at rock bottom prices and came from dubious sources.

Reporters found the seven packages were sold at prices ranging from 40 to 70 yuan per kg while the fresh lamb meat is often sold for 76 yuan per kg.

At one stall, two types of frozen lamb were being sold at 44 yuan per kg and 70 yuan per kg. But even the expensive package of lamb was found to have beef and horse meat.

Gongbei market was one of the six markets with vendors selling the mixed lamb meat. Management of Gongbei market does not have the expertise to test meat samples, said a manager surnamed Li.

Li promised the market will work with government departments in their investigation.

But the market's management does have facilities that can test produce such as fresh vegetables and pork. It often gives suspicious samples to local agricultural departments for further testing. Li said management also inspects the market regularly and refers food safety violations to the local industry and commerce administration, Li said.

Yangcheng Evening News reporters also bought frozen lamb meat from supermarkets in Zhuhai and said it would release their test results soon.

In a recent mixed meat case, Wal-Mart Inc, the world's largest retailer, apologized at the end of last year for selling a donkey meat snack that was found to have fox meat. The snack was sold at one of its outlets in Jinan, Shandong province, and produced by a company in Shandong.

The police in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, closed down an unlicensed slaughterhouse in the city in December that was found pumping dirty water into lamb meat. The site's manager and six workers were arrested.

liwenfang@chinadaily.com.cn