China probes rotten fruit juice

A customer buys a carton of juice made by Beijing Huiyuan at a supermarket in Xuchang, Henan province, Aug 10, 2013. Four companies based in the provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu and Shandong, including two branches of Beijing Huiyuan, the country's top juice maker, were accused in recent media reports of using rotten and unripe fruit to make juice. [Geng Guoqing / Asianewsphoto]

BEIJING -- China's food watchdog said it had ordered investigations into four beverage groups whose juice products were reportedly made from rotten fruit.

The announcement came after four companies based in the provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu and Shandong, including two branches of Beijing Huiyuan, the country's top juice maker, were accused in recent media reports of using rotten and unripe fruit to make juice.

The China Food and Drug Administration said in a Monday statement that preliminary investigations found no rotten fruit, indeed Shandong Huiyuan, a branch of Beijing Huiyuan, hasn't produced any juice since December last year.

According to the statement, the two companies in Anhui have been ordered to suspend their operations and cooperate with law enforcement departments in further investigations.

"Related provincial food and drug administrations will handle these cases if further investigations find violations," the statement said.