CCTV 3·15 Gala 'bleached chicken feet' company identified as Shufuxiang (蜀福香); related products urgently removed from e‑commerce platforms

Summary

CCTV's 3·15 consumer rights gala exposed a food‑safety scandal tied to chicken feet processing. The company named by investigators is Shufuxiang (蜀福香食品有限责任公司), whose shareholders reportedly are Chengdu Zhongxing Foods (成都市众兴食品有限公司, 60%) and Sichuan Rongshengtai Group (四川省荣盛泰集团有限公司, 40%). It has been reported that, after the broadcast and subsequent probes, related product listings were urgently taken down from major e‑commerce platforms.

What investigators found

Reporters documented squalid production conditions at upstream processors supplying Shufuxiang: foul odors, pooled wastewater, uncovered chicken feet lying on dirty floors, and cleaning tools in direct contact with product. Workers told reporters—and it has been reported that laboratory and现场 tests confirmed—that a hydrogen peroxide (过氧化氢, commonly called 双氧水) bleaching step was used to make the final chicken feet look uniformly white. Investigators say hydrogen peroxide use in chicken processing violates national food‑safety rules and can damage proteins and pose health risks with prolonged exposure.

Regulatory raid and samples seized

The State Administration for Market Regulation (国家市场监督管理总局) quickly moved after the TV report, it has been reported, mobilizing multi‑regional enforcement teams to conduct surprise inspections. Authorities seized multiple barrels of hydrogen peroxide at Shufuxiang's facility and at related firms including Mingyang Food (明扬食品) and Zengqiao Food (曾巧食品). Samples of semi‑finished and finished products were taken; dozens of cartons of finished chicken‑foot SKUs were sealed on site. It has been reported that companies including Jinshan Pharmaceutical (金山制药有限公司) and others are under investigation for supplying unlabelled industrial‑grade peroxide.

Market fallout and wider implications

Consumers are asking: how did an industrial oxidizer find its way into snack food chains? E‑commerce platforms and local regulators have moved to delist and block implicated SKUs, and several firms face administrative action. The episode underscores persistent food‑safety enforcement challenges in China and the rapid interplay between state media exposure, regulator response, and platform moderation — a loop that can cripple suppliers overnight and raise broader questions about supply‑chain transparency.