China Busts Rat-Meat-Ring

Every time I read an article about horse meat or human dna found I swear I am considering being a vegan more and more.. And my culture is all about the meat and potatoes

Anyhoo, Mods, I did a search but my work blocks your new search engine for some reason so please remove if need be!

Huffington Post

BEIJING, May 3

Chinese police have broken a crime ring that passed off more than $1 million in rat and small mammal meat as mutton, authorities said, in a food safety crackdown that coincides with a bird flu outbreak and other environmental pressures.

They apparently have arrested 904 people suspected of selling and producing fake or tainted meat products according to the Ministry of Public Security. Police arrested 63 suspects connected to the crime ring in a case valued at more than 10 million yuan ($1.6 million) in sales since 2009.
"Police confiscated more than 20,000 tonnes of fake or inferior meat products after breaking up illegal food plants during the nationwide operation, the ministry said"

In April, many consumers lost their appetite for poultry as an outbreak of the H7N9 bird flu virus spread in China. Sales dropped by 80 percent in eastern China, where the bird flu has been most prevalent, although experts stress that cooked chicken is perfectly safe.

In March, more than 16,000 rotting pigs were found floating in one of Shanghai's main water sources, triggering a public outcry. Over-crowding at pig farms was likely behind the die-off and their disposal in the Huangpu river.

This is not only disturbing for me as I have two pet rats whom I adore but also the fact that we trade so much with China, It makes me wonder if we've consumed this faux meat and how long has this actually been going on.

I wonder how rat meat tastes? Possibly like squirrel, I've eaten that....tastes sorta like chicken.

reply to post by rickymouse


I hear it's pretty popular in the south. Personally I'd only eat it if I needed to hunt it in order to survive.

Makes me think of Sly saying "that's a good rat burger" in demo man. Makes you wonder how much rat meat we consume at places like McDonald's, one of the many reasons I don't eat there any more, also their food sucks.

20,000 tonnes

That's an awful lot of Rats

I say save the rats, lets eat the 1%

on second thoughts, I'd rather eat the rats.