The expired Chinese meat scandal apparently extends a lot further than initially thought.
Yesterday, it was reported that McDonald’s and Yum Brands restaurants KFC and Pizza Hut (but, surprisingly, not Taco Bell) in China had been receiving meat from a supplier with a less-than-sterling approach to sanitation. Specifically, they were using meat that had fallen onto the factory floor and mixing expired meat in with new meat. Granted, in McDonald’s case, it was the McNuggets, so it’s not like anyone could tell the difference between the tainted chicken oblongs and the regular ones, but still.
It turns out that McDonald’s and Yum Brands weren’t the only places affected: new reports indicate that burger chain Burger King, coffee chain Starbucks, and sand-and-glue-mixture-atop-a-rancid-cardboard-circle chain Papa John’s* have also been in business with Shanghai Husi Food Co. Starbucks initially denied any involvement with Husi Food before realizing today that its Chicken Apple Panini used meat sourced from the company through a third party. This time, it’s not just restaurants in China, either, as the scandal has spread to meat shipped to Japan.
Again — none of this meat has made its way to the US, as far as anyone is aware. It’s just been used in China and Japan. This meat is not being served on the US market, nor has it been.
Husi Food is actually owned by OSI Group of Aurora, Illinois, interestingly enough, which should be the opposite of a comfort if you’re trying to answer the question “could this happen here?” Not that there’s currently any evidence of it happening in the US, but it always pays to be vigilant.
* Just as a reminder, Papa John’s slogan is “Better Ingredients, Better Pizza.” Also, their CEO might actually be the Devil. I don’t think it’s possible to overstate how much schadenfreude I’m taking in the fact that they’re part of this.
Image via AP.