Meat found plumped up with pond water

Shanghai - China has detained seven people in southern Guangdong province for injecting dirty pond water into lamb meat to swell its weight and raise its price, state television reports in the latest food scandal to hit the world's second largest economy.

The suspects slaughtered up to 100 sheep per day at an illegal warehouse, pumping bacteria-ridden water into the meat before it was sold at markets, food stalls and restaurants in major cities such as Guangzhou and Foshan, reported China Central Television.

China has been hit by a number of food safety scandals, from deadly chemical-laced dairy products to recycled "gutter oil" used for cooking.

Wal-Mart Stores, the world's largest retailer, apologised last week after a Chinese supplier of donkey meat snacks was found to have mixed fox meat into the product.

Meat producers

Authorities raided the illegal lamb meat abattoir in Guangdong at the end of December, finding about 30 carcasses injected with water, 335 live sheep, forged inspection stamps and equipment to inject water into the meat, the report showed.

KFC parent Yum Brands, McDonald's, French grocery chain Carrefour SA and other global firms have been caught up in food safety scares in China.