Tainted Chicken Sold to Chinese Fast Food Chains

Fast food giants McDonald's and KFC say they are getting on the case with their Chinese suppliers, w…

Fast food giants McDonald's and KFC say they are getting on the case with their Chinese suppliers, which state television charges sold them chicken injected with anti-viral drugs and growth hormones.

Chicken suppliers Liuhe Group and Yingtai Food Group failed to properly inspect chickens they bought from farmers in Shandong province before delivering the poultry, China Central Television reported Dec. 18. Both KFC and McDonald's respoded on their official Sina Weibo microblogging accounts the next day.

"KFC attaches great importance to the contents of the media report and will actively cooperate with the relevant government departments' investigation," that chain posted.

"Our chicken products comply with stringent food quality standards and comply with the relevant government standards, McDonald's posted. "Please, everyone, don't worry about eating it."

According to China Daily, the Shandong government is investigating related chicken farms; the government of Pingdu, where the Liuhe Group's slaughterhouses are located, said on its website Dec. 19 that they have been ordered to suspend operations pending further investigation.