Seven arrested for 'injecting dirty pond water into meat' in new Chinese food scandal

Chinese authorities have arrested seven people for allegedly injecting dirty pond water into lamb meat to increase its weight and raise its price in the latest food scandal to hit the country.

The suspects are said to have killed up to 100 sheep per day at a illegal abbatoir in Guangdong province and pumped bacteria-ridden water into the meat before it was sold at markets and restaurants.

Chinese state TV reported authorites found forged inspection stamps and equipment to inject water into the meat at the abbatoir.

The lamb scandal comes just days after US food giant Wal-Mart had to apologise after a Chinese supplier of donkey meat snacks was found to have mixed fox meat into the product.

There have also been claims about chemicals being used in Chinese dairy products and recycled “gutter oil” used for cooking.

A Pew Research Centre survey found close to 40 per cent of Chinese think food safety is a “very big problem”, according to news agency Reuters.