3 batches of food sold on Meituan fail quality test

Three batches of food sold on Meituan were found to be substandard due to excessive amount of enrofloxacin, Shanghai's market watchdog revealed on Wednesday.

These included bream, bullfrog and shrimp, according to the Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation.

The level of enrofloxacin residue in the shrimp was 10 times the national limit, the administration said.

Excessive exposure to enrofloxacin can lead to gastrointestinal reaction, experts warned.

Enrofloxacin is only used on animals for treatment of skin and respiratory infection.

In total, 847 batches of food products sold in the city – both online and offline – were tested, and 844 were up to the mark, according to the administration, which said that an investigation is under way.

In the third quarter of this year, 1.43 percent of 21,036 batches of food products checked in the city failed quality tests.

Microbial contamination and excessive pesticide and veterinary drug residue were the top two indexes behind these substandard products, followed by heavy metal element contamination and food additives, the administration revealed.

Potato chips, agricultural products and biscuits topped the substandard rate, it added.