Shanghai food and drug watchdog has begun a series of
inspections to prevent unsafe meat products from sneaking into the
market in the wake of steep rises in the price of pork,
Shanghai Morning Post reported today.
The inspections will mainly target pork and check for
clenobuterol hydrochloride and pork injected with water. The booths
and refrigerators used for meat products will also be examined to
see whether they have a qualified certificate.
Clenobuterol hydrochloride is a drug used to treat bronchial
asthma and it has been abolished because of its side effects which
affect the heart. Some farmers use it in breeding pigs to develop
more muscles before selling.
Victims of clenobuterol hydrochloride poisoning will suffer
increased heart rates, fatigue, hand tremors and vomiting.
Some sellers may try to make greater profits from the sale of
water-injected pork, which increases the weight.
Any problems discovered during the inspections will be traced
back, the report said.
Pork prices in many Chinese cities have skyrocketed since late
this month because of a shortage of supply.
Shanghai's wholesale pork price has hit more than 16 yuan
(US$2.09) a kilogram, up 15 to 20 percent from last month and the
highest price in a decade. The retail price hit 22 yuan a kg in
supermarkets.
(Shanghai Daily June 1, 2007)