McDonald’s Hong Kong to face probe over meat imports from rotten food plant
Full disclosure needed, consumer council chief says, amid investigation into whether chain knowingly sold potentially tainted food in HK
An official probe is under way into the McDonald's "rotten meat" scandal, focusing on whether the fast-food giant knowingly sold potentially tainted food to the Hong Kong public over a four-day period this week.
The Centre for Food Safety, which is conducting the probe, said yesterday that samples collected during 48 visits to various fast-food chains, including McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Yoshinoya and Burger King had all passed as safe.
However, it said it had sealed off 59 tonnes of Husi Food Company products imported from the mainland - all of which were from McDonald's.
McDonald's has acknowledged it imported raw meat from a scandal-hit Shanghai Husi Food Company plant that has been found to have reprocessed and repackaged rotten meat. Food safety officials are concerned that the acknowledgment came only after the government forced its hand by suspending all Husi imports originating from the mainland.
Officials say that over the past year, Hong Kong McDonald's branches imported 380 tonnes of chicken and pork from the Shanghai plant. However, it's not clear when the meat was sold.
After denying since Monday there were any problems with food safety, McDonald's admitted publicly on Thursday night that it had imported chicken and pork from the Shanghai plant. The chain then suspended sales of popular menu offerings including chicken nuggets and McSpicy burgers.
Officials are now investigating whether the fast-food giant breached the public health and municipal services ordinance.
