On National Consumers Day (March 15th), a special program broadcast by CCTV revealed that a meat producer owned by Shuanghui Group, the largest producer of frozen processed meat in china, had used an illegal drug called ractopamine when rearing pigs destined for human consumption.

Ractopamine was previously used to guarantee fatter pigs before it was found responsible for causing nausea, dizziness and tremors. Consumed in large amounts, it can lead to heart diseases, high blood pressure and even cancer.

The Ministry of Agriculture and the State Food and Drug Administration banned ractopamine in 2002. However, many breeders are still willing to take the risk of using the drug to reap the financial benefits linked to the perception amongst chinese consumers that “leaner pork is healthier.” Shuanghui claims it conducts 18 rounds of tests on its meat products but do not screen for ractopamine.

According a latest report by GuangZhou Daily, Shuanghui products found in Guangdong are mainly produced in Qingyuan and all their products have passed the meat inspection and quarantine. Despite this, some supermarkets in Guangzhou have decided it was safer to withdraw from sale all Shuanghui products.

As the largest meat processing enterprise in the country, Shuanghui Group slaughters 15 million pigs a year, producing over 2.5 million tons of meat annually. Shuanghui’s Shineway Brand is the leader of the highly fragmented market, with a 13.5 percent share. Additionally, Shuanghui is the supplier of many domestic catering enterprises, including famous brands such as KFC and Pizza Hut.