The administration has pulled the substandard foods from the shelves. It has advised consumers to buy cooked meat only from qualified producers, scrutinize the color of the foods and heat the cooked meat products before eating them.

The problem arises from a lack of regulation in the production and storage process, said Li Biansheng, secretary-general of Guangdong Institute of Food Science and Technology.

Cooked meat, when left unfrozen for some time, breeds bacteria. Some producers may not have standards in place regarding artificial coloring agents, he said, urging stricter supervision.

In terms of bacteria, frozen or freshly cooked meat is much safer, he said.

Wang Chong, a retiree in Guangzhou, said she seldom buys cooked meat, always being suspicious of its quality.

The government should thoroughly investigate such cases when they are exposed and severely punish those responsible, she said.

Meanwhile, many roast geese sold in cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen, where they are a local delicacy, are actually ducks, which cost less, Guangzhou Daily reported on Monday.

Some roast ducks are stuffed with meat on top of their heads to make them look like geese.

A visit to 10 cooked meat stores at a few wet markets in Guangzhou uncovered that half were selling roast ducks as roast geese.

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