'Zombie chicken feet' haunt China

'Zombie chicken feet' haunt China

NANNING, China - China has been hit by another food scandal, this time involving chicken feet frozen for nearly half a century.

Police in Nanning, capital of the Chinese autonomous region of Guangxi, said they confiscated more than 20 tonnes of low-quality, long-expired chicken feet from a meat warehouse last Friday, Xinhua news agency said.

Most of the chicken feet - some as old as 46 years - were illegally imported through border cities like Fangchenggang, said Mr Li Jianmin from the city's public security bureau.

The products contain huge amounts of bacteria and blood. Importers typically soak them in banned food addictive hydrogen peroxide to extend their shelf life.

Huge profits of up to 15,000 yuan (S$3,100) a tonne are the main reason behind the rampant underground business, Mr Li said.

Some netizens have coined a new term - jiangshi fengzhao, or zombie chicken feet - to vent their outrage, Xinhua reported.

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