Transparency best way to quell public fears about infected pork

SEVERAL PHOTOS of what are allegedly files of the food safety departments in Gansu and Hunan provinces were widely circulated on the internet since last week. The files indicate that the dumplings and sausages of at least 11 meat processing companies may contain pork infected with the African swine fever virus. Beijing News comments:

The food inspection and quarantine departments of Gansu and Hunan have confirmed the authenticity of the photos, saying the cases are still under investigation, and they will not disclose the results until their investigations are finished.

Although this prudence is no doubt to ensure they find out the truth of the matter, it is worth noting that food safety scandals usually follow the pattern - an internet user exposes a problem, the media verifies the claims, the authorities confirm there is a safety issue.