China's Hairy Crabs Spark Health Scare

[mrmoshe]

Hmmmm.. sounds like something you should go see a doctor about!

Hairy crabs!!1 Yikes

China's hairy crabs spark health scare

CHINA'S food standards watchdog has urged tighter quality control after Taiwan health officials detected a carcinogen in a shipment of hairy crabs exported from eastern China.

Health officials in Taiwan this week impounded a batch of hairy crabs from Jiangsu province's Yangcheng Lake after some 3000kg were found to contain nitrofuran, an antibiotic linked to cancer.

"In order to guarantee hairy crab exports meet relevant national and regional import hygiene standards, all inspection organisations must conduct full quality supervision, from breeding grounds to export checks," the General Administration of Quality Supervision said.

China's crab farmers, however, nipped back at the claims, defending the quality of their exports, and challenging the media and Taiwan's health officials to visit Yangcheng Lake and conduct further tests, the China Daily said.

"They can catch any crab in the fresh water and take their own tests," Yang Weilong, a crab exporter, told the paper.

"We will take full responsibility if problems are found in our crabs. If not, they should take full responsibility," Mr Yang said.

Around 10 per cent of China's Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs - regarded a delicacy throughout Asia - are exported to markets including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia.

Several health scares have plagued China's freshwater exports in recent years.

In August 2005, South Korean officials found carcinogens in imported Chinese carp at a wholesale market.

Shortly before, exports of Chinese-farmed eels to Hong Kong were discovered to contain malachite green, a cancer-causing chemical used by fish farmers to kill parasites, but banned in China and many other countries.

[Guest danielinbyron]

da hally clab

[mrmoshe]

da hally clab

Yummm.. Looks Sooooo appetising eh?

Wonder if you have to pick the hair out of your teeth for weeks.