Society

Officials investigated for poisonous pork scandal

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-04-08 20:49

ZHENGZHOU- Prosecutors have started to investigate 12 civil servants for dereliction of duty after pigs tested positive for a chemical poisonous to humans, a spokesman with the procuratorate in central China's Henan Province said Friday.

Related readings: Shuanghui back on shelves after pork scandal  Who can guarantee China's pork is safe?  16 suspects charged in pork scandal  Tainted pork was 'an isolated case'

Authorities have inquired 53 officials and government workers for alleged dereliction of duty, and decided to start formal prosecutor investigations against 12 of them, after a subsidiary of Shuanghui Group, China's largest meat producer, was exposed for using clenbuterol-contaminated pork in its meat products last month, said the spokesman.

A total of 72 people in Henan Province, where Shuanghui is based, have been taken into police custody for allegedly producing, selling or using clenbuterol, according to a previous government statement.

About 18 tonnes of pig feed that were suspected of having clenbuterol were confiscated by the authorities during a province-wide check that lasted from March 15 to 23, said the statement.

The province has conducted urine tests on 1,512 pigs in nine pig farms, with 52 pigs testing positive for clenbuterol.

Clenbuterol is fed to pigs to stop them from accumulating fat. It is banned as pig feed in China because it is poisonous to humans.