----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Callicrate
To: News
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2001 8:29 AM
Subject: China Mass Food Poisoning - Now with new WTO membership, coming to
your families table !!


      Perhaps those who oppose country of origin labeling, would like to
reserve for their families, the first imported Chinese hams?
      China Mass Food Poisoning Blamed On Drugs In Pig Feed
      Dow Jones Newswires

      BEIJING (AP)--Some 484 people were hospitalized with food poisoning
blamed on pork from pigs that were fed asthma medicine, a local official said
Friday.

      The poisonings occurred this week in the southern city of Heyuan in
Guangdong province, which borders Hong Kong.

      People began arriving at hospitals Wednesday suffering vomiting,
headaches and a rapid heartbeat, according to the city official, who gave his
name only as He.

      All of those sickened were found to have eaten pork from six farms that
fed pigs asthma medicine in hopes of producing leaner meat, He said.

      Most have recovered, and none of those still hospitalized is in serious
condition, said He.

      The farms have been closed and Heyuan has banned pork sales for three
days while authorities investigate.

      The case is the biggest mass-food poisoning to strike Guangdong, which
borders Hong Kong, according to official Xinhua News Agency.

      Food poisoning is a chronic problem in China, where farmers and food
processors often misuse drugs and industrial chemicals.

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