BEIJING, July 25 (UPI) -- Hong Kong's food regulator has suspended the sale of McDonald's chicken nuggets and burgers, over allegations its Chinese food supplier sold expired meat.
Authorities in Japan have also asked the American fast-food chain to stop selling all chicken products, with McDonald's saying it will resume sales once it switches meat suppliers. Last week, China suspended the operations of Shanghai Husi, owned by American food company OSI Group, for using expired meat, after local media reports.
"We made this decision as worries are growing over McDonald's chicken products made in China due to the reports on Shanghai Husi," said Sarah Casanova, chief executive of McDonald's Japan.
Both Hong Kong and Japan have suspended any imports from Shanghai Husi Food.
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Products taken off the menu include McSpicy chicken filets, chicken and green salads, fresh corn cups and iced lemon tea at restaurants in Hong Kong. Other American food chains, like Starbucks, KFC, Pizza Hut and Burger King also suspended the sale of chicken products from Shanghai Husi.
An investigative report by Chinese TV channel Dragon TV showed Shanghai Husi factory managers asking employees to extend the expiry date on 10 tons of frozen beef and also showed workers picking up meat off the floor and using it in food products.
Chinese authorities have initiated an investigation into Shanghai Husi's operations and detained five employees earlier this week.
This is not the first time China has had to deal with a food safety scandal. In 2008, six infants died after drinking adulterated milk and the country banned the import of milk from New Zealand's Fonterra over reports of botulism-causing bacteria.
