Having a ‘smashing time’ in China
QA 15/05_C
Having a ‘smashing time’ in China
Four tonnes of watermelons have been squashed to a pulp in China after a batch is contaminated with illegal pesticide causing mass food poisoning. Seventeen people treated for severe food poisoning and one pregnant woman lost her baby after being hospitalised.
Do you think this plan could work? Can it restore consumer’s confidence in buying melons?
Crowds were invited to smash ‘poisonous watermelons’ with their bare hands in a hope to restore consumers’ confidence in buying melons.
The shocking incident caused a ‘melon fear’ in China and people refused to buy watermelons, and sales of the fruit dropped up to 80% in three weeks. Food safety authorities removed the four tons of suspicious watermelons from the shelves and they were destroyed by dozens of angry locals in the melon-smashing event.
Participants were seen standing on one side of the street and throwing watermelons onto the middle of the street which had been covered by plastic sheets for the event. The event was held to reassure locals that the ‘contaminated watermelons’ had been destroyed and boost consumer’s confidence to start buying watermelons again.
Authorities think the event achieved the desired outcome – with one participant commenting that ‘this event has made me trust the business owners more and let me continue to buy food without concerns’.
Do you think this would be enough to appease Australian consumers? What did they do with the smashed up melons?
If your business needs any assistance with implementing Food Safety controls, contact Brismark on 3915 4222.