In recent weeks, consumers in other parts of the country have found that rat meat was being sold as mutton in the country. Despite the Market Supervision Authority saying they had found nothing similar in Shenzhen, reporters from the Southern Metropolis Daily found late last week that three wholesale markets in the city were selling fake mutton.

Most of the mutton was being sold to street vendors.

Fake mutton sold at Nanshan Farm Produce Wholesale Market, said to be from New Zealand, was actually locally-produced duck meat, one wholesaler admitted.

Shenzhen Daily has more:

The shop owner also admitted that Shenzhen had similar problems a few years ago, when mouse meat was frequently passed off as mutton. She said the meat, which tastes equally good, had never been found to be problematic during her time in business.

Wholesaler Lisheng Food was also selling sliced mutton made from duck meat. Packets of adulterated mutton were also removed from the shelves of Futian Farm Produce Wholesale Market after the wholesaler admitted it was actually duck meat.

Food safety scandals have been common in recent years. One of the most sensational instances this year was when a rat’s head was found in the food of a school canteen in Zhejiang Province.