Last week, I posted about a China Central Television exposé that at least one Beijing steamed bun maker was using cardboard as a main ingredient. Apparently, the Beijing police have since detained the TV reporter, named Zi, claiming that he made up the whole thing for "higher audience ratings," according to a China Daily story quoted by Reuters. Of course, that in itself might be government spin. From Reuters:
"Zi had provided all the cardboard and asked the vendor to soak it. It's all cheating," the paper quoted a government notice as saying.
Beijing TV had apologized for failing to check the report's authenticity and said it would make efforts to improve staff ethics, the paper added.
China is reeling from a series of tainted food and drug scandals that have sparked criticism at home and abroad.
The deaths of patients in Panama from mislabeled drug ingredients from China, deadly toxins in pet food exported to the United States and food laced with hazardous antibiotics and chemicals have raised fears about the safety of China's surging exports.
Link to Reuters story (Thanks, Xeni!)
Previously on BB:
• Cardboard Chinese food Link
