Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Ng Han Guan/PA Wire

China detains five over expired meat sold to McDonald's, KFC

US food supplier OSI is caught up in scandal involving out-of-date meat being mixed with fresh product or re-labelled.

CHINESE POLICE TODAY detained five people from a unit of US food supplier OSI Group, a statement said, in a case involving expired meat sold to fast food giants including McDonald’s and KFC.

The Shanghai Public Security Bureau said the five included the company officials responsible. It said a quality manager was among them but did not name the five.

Shanghai authorities on Sunday shut an OSI plant for mixing out-of-date meat with fresh product, re-labelling expired goods and other quality problems, following an investigative report by a local television station.

The case has sparked calls for stronger regulation in a country which has seen repeated scandals over food and product safety.

The factory’s other customers in China included restaurant operator Yum’s Pizza Hut brand, coffee chain Starbucks, Burger King, 7-Eleven convenience stores and Papa John’s Pizza, according to separate statements from the companies.

Outside mainland China, McDonald’s Japan has confirmed it sourced about 20% of its McNuggets from the Shanghai factory.

Police acting “according to the law” detained the five from the Shanghai Husi Food Co., the statement said, referring to the OSI subsidiary which operated the factory.

Media reports had previously said police were questioning “several” employees. Shanghai television has shown a man described as the quality manager and another manager in meetings with government officials in the days after the closure.

China’s official Xinhua news agency said police suspected Husi of taking “organised” action to carry out illegal production.

Police and Shanghai’s food and drug agency had found out-of-date meat was used to make chicken nuggets and beef patties, as well as expired and mouldy beef for mini-steaks, it said.

OSI said on Monday that it was “appalled” by the allegations and announced it had formed its own team to investigate.

OSI’s Shanghai factory, set up in 1996, had more than 500 workers with five production lines for items including pork, beef and chicken, according to the group’s website. The US company is a long-time supplier to McDonald’s in China, starting from 1992, it said.

McDonald’s chief executive Don Thompson said yesterday that his company was cooperating with Chinese authorities who are investigating OSI.

“In this case, we do feel we were a bit deceived with respect to one of these plants,” he said, as the company announced second-quarter results.

China’s national-level food and drug administration has ordered an investigation of OSI’s factories, which includes facilities in at least five provinces. Responding to the latest food safety scandal to hit China, state-run media have taken aim at foreign brands, accusing them of double standards.

“Famous international brands have not adopted a dedicated attitude toward Chinese consumers,” the Global Times newspaper said yesterday.

- © AFP, 2014

Author
View 8 comments
Close
8 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Mc Loughlin
    Favourite Dermot Mc Loughlin
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 8:16 PM

    I hope they cashew was responsible.

    411
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Mc Loughlin
    Favourite Dermot Mc Loughlin
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 8:17 PM

    I’m already leaving.

    129
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Irene Butler
    Favourite Irene Butler
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 8:20 PM

    Made me laugh

    103
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Annie Citric
    Favourite Annie Citric
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 10:51 PM

    Nice one!

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute MAN UTDS IRISH REDS
    Favourite MAN UTDS IRISH REDS
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 7:54 PM

    Do they know what nationality he or she was ?

    263
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute little jim
    Favourite little jim
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 7:58 PM

    Some nut from Brazil.

    404
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Chris Bruton
    Favourite Chris Bruton
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 8:20 PM

    Predictable joke is predictable.

    11
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute The Green Monkey
    Favourite The Green Monkey
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 8:24 PM

    What size was the jar………

    36
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gary Wilson
    Favourite Gary Wilson
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 8:02 PM

    What’s the odds on it being horse?

    79
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Suzie Sunsine
    Favourite Suzie Sunsine
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 8:15 PM

    What stores sell that here ? I’ve never seen that product before

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damien
    Favourite Damien
    Report
    May 14th 2015, 2:27 AM

    The brand or actual Peanut butter?

    If you haven’t tasted it, get some. It’s a gift from god!
    Just stay away from the organic/kelkin stuff, it’s stink

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ann-Marie Wallis
    Favourite Ann-Marie Wallis
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 8:00 PM

    If this happened in the UK, UKIP would be going mad right now.

    45
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lily
    Favourite Lily
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 7:56 PM

    As long as s/he is not irish .. Right?

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lily
    Favourite Lily
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 7:57 PM

    Small writing –

    No irish people were hurt making this penut butter.

    58
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Conor Geoghegan
    Favourite Conor Geoghegan
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 8:22 PM

    It’s probably for the best they recall the the product in cashew swallow it .

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Conker
    Favourite Conker
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 11:19 PM

    They’ll try anything to get into the country these days

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mícheál
    Favourite Mícheál
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 8:05 PM

    I would hope they’re following the correct vetting procedures.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ben Redline
    Favourite Ben Redline
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 8:23 PM

    Such a beautiful story – thank you

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ben Redline
    Favourite Ben Redline
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 8:24 PM

    Aahhh where’s the spell-caster comment gone?

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Quinn
    Favourite Dermot Quinn
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 7:56 PM

    Something in peanut butter that shouldn’t be there? Taste?

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Abi Dennis
    Favourite Abi Dennis
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 11:17 PM

    That’s nuts

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute patrick
    Favourite patrick
    Report
    May 13th 2015, 9:39 PM

    More horse meat I suppose.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fran McCarty
    Favourite Fran McCarty
    Report
    May 14th 2015, 3:28 AM

    I found a piece of plastic in my ice cream last week. I called the company,and they sent me a check for $5,000 to keep my mouth shut!

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cathy Dwyer
    Favourite Cathy Dwyer
    Report
    May 19th 2016, 7:00 AM

    Well you told every one now so you probably need to send back the cheque

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Neil McDonnell
    Favourite Neil McDonnell
    Report
    May 15th 2015, 10:03 AM

    Kind of off topic. The link for this article on yahoo has the following description after the Tag line

    Batch of peanut butter recalled in Ireland as it may contain ‘a foreign body’ – Irish Sun
    The Irish government has approved a proposal for the dispatch of an Irish Naval vessel with a crew of 65 personnel to undertake humanitarian search and rescue tasks in the Mediterranean.

    Needless to say I was quite concerned as to why a Naval Vessel was dispatched to deal with a dodge jar of Peanut butter. Luckily it was just a gaff by the yahoo bots.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Sands
    Favourite Michael Sands
    Report
    May 14th 2015, 3:04 PM

    Bloody yes referendum voters I suppose lol, that is funny…

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds