Excessive antibiotics in bullfrog goods found

Local market regulators and major e-commerce platforms launched investigations or removed implicated bullfrog products on Monday after media reports revealed excessive antibiotic residues in the popular food item.

An investigation by The Paper.cn, a Shanghai-based online news outlet, conducted in partnership with a public welfare group, revealed that multiple enterprises in Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces were producing or selling contaminated bullfrog products.

The media outlet said it conducted field investigations and tested samples purchased through e-commerce platforms. Some products were found to contain antibiotic residues exceeding the legal limit by five times, while others tested positive for furazolidone, a veterinary drug banned for use in food-producing animals.

Following the report, the market regulation bureaus in Chenghai district of Shantou, Guangdong province, and Dongshan county of Zhangzhou, Fujian province, issued separate statements on Monday, saying they had launched comprehensive on-site investigations into the enterprises involved.

According to the statements, law enforcement officers found evidence of bullfrog purchasing, slaughtering and small-scale processing activities at two companies in Chenghai, while another company in Dongshan was engaged in bullfrog trading.

A representative of the company in Dongshan county told ThePaper.cn that the use of antibiotics is "virtually inevitable" in high-density bullfrog farming.

Authorities have sealed the implicated bullfrog products and collected samples for laboratory testing. They pledged to take strict action in accordance with laws and regulations based on the test results.

Chenghai district and Dongshan county have also launched region-wide inspections of local markets to crack down on illegal activities related to bullfrog production and sales.

Pinduoduo, one of China's largest e-commerce platforms, said it had removed the implicated products and would take strict disciplinary measures against merchants found to have violated regulations once the investigation is completed. The company also pledged to strengthen product screening procedures to better protect consumers' rights, according to ThePaper.cn.

Douyin, China's leading short-video and livestreaming platform, said the merchant identified in the report had voluntarily closed its online store before the findings of the investigation were published and had recorded no sales over the previous two months. The platform said it is verifying the alleged violations and will tighten merchant admission standards to further enhance food safety.

A 2025 industry report notes that China's bullfrog aquaculture output reached 600,000 metric tons in 2025. Worth 48 billion yuan ($7.1 billion), the industry supports 40,000-plus specialty restaurants. Production rose 317.65 percent from 2015 to 2024, surpassing most aquaculture sectors.