SHENZHEN Municipal Market Supervision and Regulation Bureau recently inspected 62 hot pot restaurants at night after these restaurants were reported for serving chemically bleached beef tripe, or maodu in Chinese.

Among them, it was confirmed that 21 restaurants served unqualified beef tripe, one of which was shut down by the authority. Moreover, 117.35 kilograms of unqualified beef tripe was seized.

Many famous hot pot restaurants, such as Daniu and Baheli, were inspected.

Meanwhile, the police inspected a meat company called Nongmumeiyi in Guangming District. A previous report said that the company’s slaughterhouse would first stir and soak the black beef tripe in industrial quicklime and then the staff would step on the tripe to bleach it.

The inspection found no problems in the slaughterhouse’s slaughtering process. However, it was found to be using industrial quicklime, which, unlike food grade quicklime, is prohibited from being used in food, because it will cause chronic poisoning and do harm to the nervous system, digestive system and urinary system.

The police seized a package of industrial quicklime from the site.

At the same time, the authority checked three other slaughterhouses in Pingshan, Longgang and Bao’an. No other illegal operations were found, according to the report.

Beef tripe, known as niubaiye in Chinese, is the edible lining of a cow’s stomach, and is widely served in Chinese hot pot restaurants.

The bureau said that they will continue following the case and strengthen the management of the slaughterhouse. They will also inspect the beef tripe and other ingredients served at hot pot restaurants.

If any more illegal behavior is found, the authority will issue strict punishments.

(Chen Qingxuan)