Chew on this: Cheaper duck meat has been passed off as beef and mutton since March. — China Daily/ANN
A SLEW of scandals, involving the fraudulent substitution of beef and mutton with cheaper cuts of duck meat, has put the spotlight on the scam, with fears the illegal practice could be happening on a wider scale across the food industry.
Authorities in Hohhot, capital of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, recently levied a collective fine of 270,000 yuan (RM175,000) on five food services contractors operating in a local college cafeteria, after analysis of food samples showed they had been passing off much cheaper duck meat as beef and mutton in their dishes since March.
“The practice constitutes food service fraud according to the Law on Consumer Protection,” said the Sept 4 document, which was addressed to the Inner Mongolia University, a prestigious institution region.
In June, the market regulator received reports that four food stalls in one of the university’s cafeterias and a Muslim canteen, were engaged in the fradulent activities.
The market watchdog collected samples from the food services contractors involved and confirmed the complaints.
University authorities severed ties with the contractors in early July before the official investigation concluded, it reported.
On Sunday, the college issued an apology to its faculty members and students, saying more oversight was needed. It also pledged to increase day-to-day monitoring of food quality and improve cafeteria services.
An unnamed university management official said: “The mistakes were made by several contract food stalls, but the blame was on the college.”
The official acknowledged that campus authorities had failed to properly supervise the contractors, and said they have taken over the operation of the food stalls from the contractors.
The meat scandal in one of China’s major pastoral areas has drawn widespread public anger, because beef and mutton are supposed to be cheaper and more readily available in the region than in other parts of the country.
The campus scam is also the latest in a string of exposes involving food services fraudulently passing duck meat off as beef and mutton, which are roughly three times the price. –‑ China Daily/ANN
