The number of food scandals is piling up for American fast food companies in China.
McDonald’s, KFC and Pizza Hut were forced to apologize this past Sunday to Chinese fast food-goers after a local meat supplier was caught mishandling its protein. The supplier, Shanghai-based Husi Food Co Ltd, was forced to shut down after local television station Dragon TV ran footage of the company’s factory workers picking hamburger patties and meat from off the factory floor and throwing them directly into meat mixers, and using bare hands to handle poultry and beef on the assembly line. The footage also showed sewage and trash spread on the floor of the processing plant; in addition, expired meat, which was described as “stinky” by workers themselves, was either concealed by mixing it together with non-expired meat, or simply altering its expiration date.
“If confirmed, the practices outlined in the report are completely unacceptable to McDonald’s,” Becca Hary, Director of Global Media Relations for McDonald’s said in an interview. “We are no longer serving product from the facility. This matter is being thoroughly investigated and we are cooperating fully with the authorities.”
All three American fast food companies have released statements saying that they are no longer using any meat supplied by Husi Food Co. Ltd, which is one of the 10 Chinese branches owned by U.S.-based food giant OSI Group LLC. According to the OSI China’s website, its Shanghai food factory manufactures meat and vegetable products, and is qualified to export products to Hong Kong and Japan. So far, there is no sign that the meat supply problem extends to any U.S. restaurants.