Apology issued over donkey hides

A center under China's top health authority apologized for publishing an article claiming that a product made from donkey hides, traditionally believed to have medicinal benefits, is not worth buying.

The product, called ejiao, is a gelatin used in traditional Chinese medicine and is regarded as having positive effects, including helping rejuvenate the skin and relieve fatigue.

In an article published last week by 12320 Management Center - a hotline health service center under the National Health and Family Planning Commission - on its microblog account, it said ejiao is nothing but donkey hide cooked in water, and the main portion is composed of collagen protein, which is not even a nutritious or medicinally beneficial protein.