Safety tests on the menu after meat scandal

BEIJING - The battle to intercept tarnished meat products before they arrive on the dinner table is continuing across the country but some consumers are saying their confidence has been rattled following a recent scandal in which a banned substance was allegedly found in pork sold by a major supplier.

In the aftermath of the revelations, 19 pigs among 689 awaiting slaughter and processing at the Jiyuan Shuanghui Food Co Ltd in Central China's Henan province tested positive for clenbuterol. The illegal additive that is hazardous to humans was detected in the pigs' urine, according to a Jiyuan city government statement on Thursday.

The local authorities are investigating more than 1,300 pig farms and 130 feed suppliers and providers of veterinarian supplies, the statement said. The results have not yet been disclosed.