Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Snake-bite chicken 'off the menu'

China's health authorities are reported to be putting a stop to restaurants serving chickens which have been bitten to death by poisonous snakes.

The dish, which is served by a small number of restaurants in Guangdong and Chongqing, is billed as detoxing.

But it has generated a storm of controversy after a video of its preparation was circulated online.

The video shows a cook holding a snake and forcing it to bite a live chicken.

"Although nobody has been poisoned, this at the very least is an irregular way of slaughtering poultry," a local health official said.

Health authorities in Guangdong have already told restaurants to stop serving "poisonous snake-bitten chicken". It said officials in Chongqing had joined the ban.

You can see the video here.

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