July 26, 2011
Arrests made over clenbuterol in pig feed in China
Police in China have detained a professor and arrested seven others after tracing the origin of a new variety of clenbuterol, an illegal pig feed additive.
The professor, surnamed Zou, from Zhejiang University, was discovered to have had 1,500kg of feed containing Phenylethanolamine A, a new variety of clenbuterol.
Five of the suspects were from a feed mix company in Fujian province, and are charged with supplying the chemical. Two feed dealers from Zhejiang province were found in possession of the additive.
Clenbuterol, an additive known as "lean meat powder", is used in pig feed to speed up muscle building and fat-burning, resulting in leaner pork, but can cause health issues to humans eating food containing the chemical.
Last year, the Ministry of Agriculture banned the use of Phenylethanolamine A in animal feed or drinking water.
After a scandal earlier this year involving clenbuterol-tainted pork, China's government has attempted to take steps to restore domestic and international consumer confidence.