CCTV 3.15 Gala Exposes "Bleached Chicken Feet," Multiple E-commerce Platforms Urgently Remove Listings

This article is from Consumer Reports by Liao Yuting.

Gelatin-rich, soft, chewy chicken feet are a popular snack for many people. Some chicken feet on the market are not only bright white and plump but also very inexpensive—as low as 15 yuan per jin. However, behind these unusually low prices are dirty, chaotic production environments and the secret of industrial hydrogen peroxide bleaching.

According to the CCTV 3.15 Evening Gala, workers involved in producing these chicken feet admitted: they never eat them themselves.

1. After exposure, brands like “Obedient Daughter-in-law” and “Shu Fu Xiang” quickly removed their chicken feet products from shelves

Bright white, plump chicken feet, but the production environment and process are shocking.

CCTV reporters visited multiple food production companies in Chengdu, Sichuan, and Chongqing. Without any health certificates or disinfection procedures, they easily entered the “Mingyang Food” workshop that provides preliminary processing services for brands like “Shu Fu Xiang.”

The scene inside was disgusting: the workshop was filled with foul odors, the floor was flooded with wastewater, and chicken feet were casually piled on dirty floors, with brooms, shovels, and other tools directly pressing on them. Workers stepped on chicken feet on the ground and then nonchalantly picked them up to put back into processing baskets.

What keeps these chicken feet, produced in such harsh environments, looking good on the market is a “secret” step: soaking in hydrogen peroxide. Workers openly admitted, “It’s all bleached with hydrogen peroxide.” At the “Shu Fu Xiang” factory, CCTV found numerous unmarked blue plastic barrels containing bleaching liquids. Workers even confessed that they never eat chicken feet soaked in hydrogen peroxide themselves.

A similar scene was observed at “Chongqing Zeng Qiao Food” company. CCTV found many barrels labeled with 35% hydrogen peroxide (peroxide hydrogen) inside their factory. Internal sources confirmed that bleaching chicken feet with hydrogen peroxide is an industry secret.

As of the time of reporting, many e-commerce platforms have responded quickly. Consumer Reports found that chicken feet products from brands like “Shu Fu Xiang,” “Shu Jiu Wei,” and “Obedient Daughter-in-law” are now hard to find on major online shopping sites.

2. Who is providing illegal additives?

According to China’s “Food Safety National Standard for the Use of Food Additives” (GB 2760-2024), hydrogen peroxide (double oxygen water) is strictly prohibited in chicken feet processing.

Hydrogen peroxide, as a strong oxidizer, destroys proteins and other nutrients in food. Long-term consumption of foods soaked in hydrogen peroxide may cause damage to oral mucosa, liver and kidney functions, and excessive intake could even be life-threatening.

So, who is illegally selling hydrogen peroxide to food companies?

CCTV exposed that “Jinshan Pharmaceutical” in Meishan, Sichuan, casually sells chemicals that should be strictly controlled to food processing companies; and “Yifeng Electronic New Materials” in Xinxiang, Henan, not only sells products without concern but also guides food factories on how to evade regulations, labeling hydrogen peroxide as “hydrogen peroxide disinfectant for drinking water” to deceive authorities.

3. Regulatory authorities act overnight

After completing undercover investigations and handing over all footage, the State Market Supervision Administration organized enforcement actions on March 13, conducting surprise inspections of involved companies and seizing numerous problematic products:

At “Shu Fu Xiang,” law enforcement seized 27 barrels of food-grade hydrogen peroxide and found chicken feet soaking in multiple workshops. Rapid tests revealed issues with 232 boxes of Sichuan pepper chicken feet and 319 boxes of spicy marinated chicken feet, all of which were confiscated. The company admitted that since May 2025, they had purchased a total of 5,242 barrels of hydrogen peroxide from Jinshan Pharmaceutical for chicken feet processing.

“Mingyang Food” was investigated for poor production conditions and serious violations of food safety laws.

At “Zeng Qiao Food,” law enforcement seized several unopened and opened barrels of hydrogen peroxide. Testing confirmed that soaking water, semi-finished, and finished products all contained hydrogen peroxide.

Upstream companies Jinshan Pharmaceutical and Yifeng Electronic New Materials were also investigated for illegally providing unlabeled food additives and violating hazardous chemical management regulations.

**** 04. Companies involved**

Qixinbao data shows the following details about the five companies exposed:

Chengdu Mingyang Food Co., Ltd. established on March 6, 2007, with legal representative Yao Zuoping, registered capital of 2 million RMB. Business scope includes production of meat products (sauced and cured meats), poultry slaughter, meat freezing, and sales.

Sichuan Shufu Xiang Food Co., Ltd. established on December 2, 1997, with a total investment of nearly 300 million RMB. Business scope includes production, processing, and sales of meat products (sauced, cured, and cooked meats), condiments (solid, semi-solid, liquid seasonings, flavored oils), etc.

Chongqing Zeng Qiao Food Co., Ltd. established on April 22, 2003, with legal representative Zeng Qiao, registered capital of 5 million RMB. It is a comprehensive enterprise engaged in food research, production, and sales, mainly specializing in authentic flavored meat, seafood, bean products, vegetable products, and condiments.

Sichuan Jinshan Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. established in 2008, with legal representative Li Huadong, registered capital of 30 million RMB. It produces pharmaceutical excipients, food additives, disinfectants, and electronic chemicals.

Henan Yifeng Electronic New Materials Co., Ltd. established on March 15, 2017, with legal representative Sun Xiaofeng, registered capital of 50 million RMB. It is a high-tech enterprise specializing in R&D, production, and sales of ultra-pure chemical reagents, specialized cleaning agents, disinfectants, and food additives.