Photo: Screenshot from Sina Weibo

Market regulators in Shantou city and Raoping county in South China’s Guangdong Province and Dongshan county in East China’s Fujian Province on Monday issued notices saying they had launched investigations into companies involved in a case where bullfrogs were found to contain excessive antibiotic residues.

Authorities in Wuxi, East China’s Jiangsu Province said the results of the rapid test for the upstream suppliers of a local involved company showed that they were all negative, multiple media reported on Monday. 

The topic “bullfrogs test excessive antibiotics in multiple platforms” sparked discussion on Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo on Monday after an investigative report by media outlet The Paper revealed that spot checks on bullfrogs from several e-commerce platforms tested excessive antibiotic residues, including one exceeding the legal limit by more than fivefold. Some samples also tested positive for the banned veterinary drug furazolidone. 

Using shipping records and product packaging as leads, the reporters traced the supply chain across Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangsu provinces, uncovering a production and distribution network for bullfrogs with excessive antibiotic residues, spanning processors, online sellers, and institutional cafeterias.

The investigation found that processors, at distributors’ request, mass-produced “standard” bullfrogs that were either untested for antibiotics or contained antibiotic residues, while supplying separate “antibiotic-free” samples for inspection. The “standard” products were then sold to markets and restaurants nationwide. 

According to Zhu Yi, associate professor from China Agricultural University, bullfrogs are highly vulnerable to disease and massive deaths due to crowded, stressful farming and transport conditions. To minimize losses and maximize profits, some operators reportedly overuse antibiotics, ignore withdrawal periods, or use banned drugs, transferring commercial risks to consumers, The Paper reported. 

The market watchdog in Dongshan county in Fujian said on Monday they had launched an investigation into a local supply chain company after media reports linked it to bullfrog products with excessive antibiotic residues. The authority has sealed the products, collected samples for testing, and said legal action will follow based on the investigation’s results.

Meanwhile, the market regulator in Chenghai district, Shantou city in Guangdong said Monday that they had launched an investigation into two local businesses linked to the reported violations. Inspectors found the companies were involved in bullfrog procurement, slaughtering, and processing, and have sealed the products and sent samples for testing.

Market regulator in Raoping county, Chaozhou city in Guangdong, said Monday that it had launched an investigation into a warehouse located in the county, which belongs to a company involved in the case. 

The market regulator and agricultural authority of Wuxi National High-tech District in Wuxi, Jiangsu, said on Monday they had inspected an aqua-product company reportedly linked to the bullfrog antibiotic residue case. No bullfrog products were found on-site, while tests on live bullfrogs from upstream suppliers returned negative results. A supply-chain investigation is continuing. 

Global Times