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In yet another food safety scare, China's state television broadcaster CCTV has uncovered the use of fake shark fin made from gelatin in restaurants across Beijing. At the same time a popular restaurant chain has been found using shark fin dishes laced with a toxic additive, the capital's Legal Evening News reports.
On Jan. 8, CCTV News aired a report in which undercover reporters discovered fake shark fin made from gelatin sourced from a Beijing's seafood market is being used to prepare pricey dishes in the city's restaurants. In addition, papaya shark fin soup served at a famous restaurant chain in Tongzhou district were found to be seasoned with shark fin glutamate, a substance harmful to the kidney, liver and reproductive system.
The Beijing Fengtai Industry and Commerce, a business association representing many local fishmongers, is reportedly aware of the revelations but has not commented on the stalls identified in the CCTV report.
Law enforcement officers with the association, however, have reportedly begun noting the shops and stalls selling shark fin in Beijing seafood markets and carrying out random checks. The results of the checks have yet to be released as of press time.
A chef at an upscale cafeteria in the Henan capital of Zhengzhou told a reporter disguised as a apprentice that the shark fin sold in the cafeteria was actually fake fin worth only a few dozen yuan. He said customers would be unable to tell whether the fin was real unless they are particularly knowledgeable. "If they find it is fake, we can compensate them with other dishes," the chef said.
After analyzing samples brought back by reporters, professor Zhu Yi from the Institute of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering of China Agricultural University found that the main ingredients in the imitation fin are gelatin, sodium alginate, and calcium chloride. A pigment is added to the edible gelatin which makes up the bulk.
In the expose, reporters also ordered a papaya shark fin dish from a well-known chain restaurant and collected samples. Zhu's examinations found an ingredient similar to chicken glutamate, which although has a pleasant taste was seasoned with hydrolyzed protein liquid. Ingesting excess glutamate can be dangerous, said Zhu.
Source: http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20130111000003&cid=1103
On Jan. 8, CCTV News aired a report in which undercover reporters discovered fake shark fin made from gelatin sourced from a Beijing's seafood market is being used to prepare pricey dishes in the city's restaurants. In addition, papaya shark fin soup served at a famous restaurant chain in Tongzhou district were found to be seasoned with shark fin glutamate, a substance harmful to the kidney, liver and reproductive system.
The Beijing Fengtai Industry and Commerce, a business association representing many local fishmongers, is reportedly aware of the revelations but has not commented on the stalls identified in the CCTV report.
Law enforcement officers with the association, however, have reportedly begun noting the shops and stalls selling shark fin in Beijing seafood markets and carrying out random checks. The results of the checks have yet to be released as of press time.
A chef at an upscale cafeteria in the Henan capital of Zhengzhou told a reporter disguised as a apprentice that the shark fin sold in the cafeteria was actually fake fin worth only a few dozen yuan. He said customers would be unable to tell whether the fin was real unless they are particularly knowledgeable. "If they find it is fake, we can compensate them with other dishes," the chef said.
After analyzing samples brought back by reporters, professor Zhu Yi from the Institute of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering of China Agricultural University found that the main ingredients in the imitation fin are gelatin, sodium alginate, and calcium chloride. A pigment is added to the edible gelatin which makes up the bulk.
In the expose, reporters also ordered a papaya shark fin dish from a well-known chain restaurant and collected samples. Zhu's examinations found an ingredient similar to chicken glutamate, which although has a pleasant taste was seasoned with hydrolyzed protein liquid. Ingesting excess glutamate can be dangerous, said Zhu.
Source: http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20130111000003&cid=1103
