14 sickened by suspected additive poisoning in S.China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-26 08:53

GUANGZHOU -- Fourteen people in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, were poisoned on Wednesday evening after eating pig organs that were suspected of containing an animal-feed additive.

The 14 people, all from the neighbouring Fujian Province, were poisoned after eating stir-fired pig's liver Wednesday evening at a dinner party, a Guangzhou Municipal Disease Control and Prevention Center official said.

They were all hospitalized at the Tianhe District Armed Police Hospital for stomach aches, diarrhea, vomiting and headache, he said.

"They have acute gastroenteritis symptoms due to food poisoning, but they don't have symptoms of hand shivering and nervous heart," said Wang Hongxia, a doctor at the hospital.

"It doe not look like clenbuterol poisoning but it is possible, " she said.

Clenbuterol is a chemical used to prevent pigs from accumulating fat. It is banned as an additive in pig feed in China because it is poisonous to humans and can be fatal.

Guangzhou Municipal Disease Control and Prevention Center has taken samples of the food the victims ate and is investigating the cause of the food poisoning.

Guangzhou has reported 70 cases of clenbuterol poisoning since February 18.