Xinhua News Agency reports that 904 people were arrested on Thursday as part of a nationwide crackdown on spoiled and fake food.
How fake are we talking about?
Deep breath time.
“In Wuxi, in east China’s Jiangsu Province, suspects made fake mutton from fox, mink and rat by adding chemicals,” the news agency reported.
Oh dear. Dare continue?
SCMP:
“Since 2009, the suspect, surnamed Wei, has bought foxes, minks, rats and other uninspected meat products in Shandong,” the ministry said in a press release on its website.
“After adding gelatine, carmine, nitrate and other substances, he sold the meat as fake lamb rolls [for hot pot] at farmers’ markets in Jiangsu and Shanghai.”
If you’re going to pretend to be shocked by this, it’s because you haven’t been in China long enough. If you’re disgusted, well congratulations: you’re a human with discriminating tastes, because minks are disgusting. We also had no idea fox meat was edible… or easier to get than mutton.
WSJ has linked to the above photo, part of an “illustrated guide to spotting fake mutton” via Sina Weibo. Study up on it, folks. Unless you enjoy eating fox, mink, and rat.
Also see: You’ll Never Eat Chuan’r Again (Sober) After Reading This Story
I can’t help but think that, after all this trouble and effort, it might be cheaper and easier just to get a real sheep.
I doubt it.
I’m sure the fox and mink meat are from animals killed for their fur. The meat is probably not legally allowed to be sold, but throwing away meat that could be reprocessed and sold……
I have no idea who could catch and butcher enough rats to make selling the meat worthwhile.
I always said living in china was like living in the world of The Simpsons… Crazy mass hysteria situations that call for taking to the torch & pitchfork, incompetent corrupt government/police, bizarre characters. And now we have the episode where the mob is caught milking rats and selling to the public because it’s cheaper than supplying real cow’s milk?!?
The Simpsons is a satire of American life. All those things you listed describe American life.
The Chinese Dream: The freedom to make a fortune from rat-meat hot pot.
Make a fortune in China? Please. The dream is and has always been to move to Hong Kong
Perhaps, but one first needs stacks of dead Maos to do so.