This has not been a good year for meat. In the most recent meat related scare, Chinese officials have uncovered a million-dollar scheme whereby sellers were pawning off rat meat as mutton, or sheep's meat.
According to Reuters, police in China arrested 603 criminals who were part of a rat-meat selling ring. The scheme had been running since 2009 and garnered approximately $1.6 million.
The New York Times reports that the meat was made up of rat, mink, and fox. Red food coloring and gelatin were added to the mix to make it seem more like mutton.
The New York Daily News notes that officials found 20,000 tons of fake meat when they busted the ring. There is no clear indication as to where the criminals were able to find such large amounts of dead rodent.
The New York Times also explained that meat safety has become an overwhelming problem in China and a high priority for officials. The recent cases of a new form of bird flu have added to the worries of customers.