Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09GUANGZHOU127
2009-02-23 09:15:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Guangzhou
Cable title:
Think Twice about that Scrumptious Sliver of Pig Liver:
how-toVZCZCXRO9586 RR RUEHDT RUEHPB DE RUEHGZ #0127/01 0540915 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 230915Z FEB 09 FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0293 INFO RUEHGZ/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE 0107 RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC 0104 RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC 0104 RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC 0008 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP/ISA/AP// 0005 RHMFISS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC//J2/J3/J5// 0003 RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J00/J2/J3/J5// 0013
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 000127
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/CM, OES/IHA
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH
STATE PASS TO ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
CDC FOR OGHA AND DIV-FLU
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP
HHS PASS TO FIC/NIH
USDA PASS TO APHIS, FAS (OSTA AND OCRA),FSIS
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID
BEIJING FOR HHS HEALTH ATTACHE AND RMO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC EAGR KFLU SOCI CH
SUBJECT: Think Twice about that Scrumptious Sliver of Pig Liver:
Contaminated Pig Organs Sicken 70 in Guangdong
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 000127
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/CM, OES/IHA
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH
STATE PASS TO ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
CDC FOR OGHA AND DIV-FLU
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP
HHS PASS TO FIC/NIH
USDA PASS TO APHIS, FAS (OSTA AND OCRA),FSIS
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID
BEIJING FOR HHS HEALTH ATTACHE AND RMO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC EAGR KFLU SOCI CH
SUBJECT: Think Twice about that Scrumptious Sliver of Pig Liver:
Contaminated Pig Organs Sicken 70 in Guangdong
1. (U) Summary: Another day, another adulterated food problem.
Pork tainted with the chemical clenbuterol has severely sickened 70
in Guangdong. An illegal pig-feed additive, clenbuterol, continues
to be used by pig farmers to improve the quality of meat and
increase wholesale profits, but with a not so negligible negative
side effect on health. The largely unsupervised import of pigs from
other provinces and Guangzhou's low rate of wholesale pork
inspections suggest that efforts to improve Guangdong's food safety
regime still fall short. End summary.
--------------
Poisoned Pork
--------------
2. (SBU) Local authorities have reported that food poisoning from
locally purchased contaminated pork resulted in the hospitalization
of 70 Guangzhou residents over the weekend. According to Wang
Goubin, a Guangzhou Municipal Health Bureau official, 67 people have
been released from the hospital following treatment, while three
remain under observation but in stable condition.
3. (U) According to media reports, in the last decade, over 1,700
people have been affected by clenbuterol poisoning in China. In
November 2008, 70 residents in Zhejiang province's Jiaxing City were
poisoned by clenbuterol-tainted pork, while another 336
Shanghai-residents were poisoned in 2006.
--------------
Ensuring Food Safety
--------------
4. (SBU) According to officials at the Guangzhou Food Safety Office,
the pork is believed to have originated from several farms in Hunan
province. Authorities said farmers mixed their pig feed with
clenbuterol; pig dealers have forged quarantine certificates making
it easier to circulate tainted pork in Guangzhou markets. These
pigs mostly end up in Guangzhou's Tianhe District and Zengcheng City
through the Tianhe Livestock Wholesale Market, a legally registered
venue. Staff from the Guangzhou (Tianhe District) Veterinary
Station of Epidemic Prevention and Supervision are stationed at the
market, and conduct first-line inspections. Duan Xiaodong, Director
of the Guangzhou Station said that the inspection failed to catch
the tainted pork because the fake quarantine certificates were
identical to authentic ones. Press reports indicated that three
suspects have been detained under suspicion for selling the
contaminated pork.
5. (SBU) The case points to a failure in the system, according to
Luo Daoxu, Division Chief of the Guangdong Agriculture Department.
He explained that food safety is supervised by four entities,
including the Agriculture Department, the Administration of Industry
and Commerce, the Health Department, and the Technical Supervision
Bureau. However, cooperation among them is often difficult to
orchestrate. In addition, over 50% of the pigs supplied to
Guangdong come from other provinces, with little inter-provincial
supervisory coordination. Guangzhou currently spot inspects 5% of
the pork sold in the city's wholesale markets.
--------------
The Dangers of Clenbuterol
--------------
5. (U) Although banned in China as a pig-feed additive, the use of
clenbuterol continues among some pig farmers, but the extent of its
use is unknown. Clenbuterol enhances lean muscle in pigs. A toxin
that usually collects in the lungs, liver, and kidneys, clenbuterol
is not eliminated under normal cooking conditions. According to
media reports, pig organs can remain contaminated with the chemical
in conditions up to 172 degrees Celsius. Humans exposed to
clenbuterol may experience dizziness, headaches, palpitations,
and/or agitation; those who have heart problems or diabetes are
affected more severely. Long-term consumption can lead to tumors,
while excess consumption can lead to death.
GUANGZHOU 00000127 002 OF 002
GOLDBERG
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/CM, OES/IHA
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR ANE AND GH
STATE PASS TO ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
CDC FOR OGHA AND DIV-FLU
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR OSD/ISA/AP
HHS PASS TO FIC/NIH
USDA PASS TO APHIS, FAS (OSTA AND OCRA),FSIS
BANGKOK FOR RMO, CDC, USAID
BEIJING FOR HHS HEALTH ATTACHE AND RMO
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO AMED CASC EAGR KFLU SOCI CH
SUBJECT: Think Twice about that Scrumptious Sliver of Pig Liver:
Contaminated Pig Organs Sicken 70 in Guangdong
1. (U) Summary: Another day, another adulterated food problem.
Pork tainted with the chemical clenbuterol has severely sickened 70
in Guangdong. An illegal pig-feed additive, clenbuterol, continues
to be used by pig farmers to improve the quality of meat and
increase wholesale profits, but with a not so negligible negative
side effect on health. The largely unsupervised import of pigs from
other provinces and Guangzhou's low rate of wholesale pork
inspections suggest that efforts to improve Guangdong's food safety
regime still fall short. End summary.
--------------
Poisoned Pork
--------------
2. (SBU) Local authorities have reported that food poisoning from
locally purchased contaminated pork resulted in the hospitalization
of 70 Guangzhou residents over the weekend. According to Wang
Goubin, a Guangzhou Municipal Health Bureau official, 67 people have
been released from the hospital following treatment, while three
remain under observation but in stable condition.
3. (U) According to media reports, in the last decade, over 1,700
people have been affected by clenbuterol poisoning in China. In
November 2008, 70 residents in Zhejiang province's Jiaxing City were
poisoned by clenbuterol-tainted pork, while another 336
Shanghai-residents were poisoned in 2006.
--------------
Ensuring Food Safety
--------------
4. (SBU) According to officials at the Guangzhou Food Safety Office,
the pork is believed to have originated from several farms in Hunan
province. Authorities said farmers mixed their pig feed with
clenbuterol; pig dealers have forged quarantine certificates making
it easier to circulate tainted pork in Guangzhou markets. These
pigs mostly end up in Guangzhou's Tianhe District and Zengcheng City
through the Tianhe Livestock Wholesale Market, a legally registered
venue. Staff from the Guangzhou (Tianhe District) Veterinary
Station of Epidemic Prevention and Supervision are stationed at the
market, and conduct first-line inspections. Duan Xiaodong, Director
of the Guangzhou Station said that the inspection failed to catch
the tainted pork because the fake quarantine certificates were
identical to authentic ones. Press reports indicated that three
suspects have been detained under suspicion for selling the
contaminated pork.
5. (SBU) The case points to a failure in the system, according to
Luo Daoxu, Division Chief of the Guangdong Agriculture Department.
He explained that food safety is supervised by four entities,
including the Agriculture Department, the Administration of Industry
and Commerce, the Health Department, and the Technical Supervision
Bureau. However, cooperation among them is often difficult to
orchestrate. In addition, over 50% of the pigs supplied to
Guangdong come from other provinces, with little inter-provincial
supervisory coordination. Guangzhou currently spot inspects 5% of
the pork sold in the city's wholesale markets.
--------------
The Dangers of Clenbuterol
--------------
5. (U) Although banned in China as a pig-feed additive, the use of
clenbuterol continues among some pig farmers, but the extent of its
use is unknown. Clenbuterol enhances lean muscle in pigs. A toxin
that usually collects in the lungs, liver, and kidneys, clenbuterol
is not eliminated under normal cooking conditions. According to
media reports, pig organs can remain contaminated with the chemical
in conditions up to 172 degrees Celsius. Humans exposed to
clenbuterol may experience dizziness, headaches, palpitations,
and/or agitation; those who have heart problems or diabetes are
affected more severely. Long-term consumption can lead to tumors,
while excess consumption can lead to death.
GUANGZHOU 00000127 002 OF 002
GOLDBERG