Nitrite blamed for food poisoning in SW China

Nitrite has been blamed for Friday's food poisoning incident in Guizhou Province that killed a five-year-old girl and sickened 72, local authorities said Tuesday.

Shop owners Wang Xianxin and Wang Yan have been arrested after mistakenly selling nitrite thinking it was sugar to a cook in the city of Anshun, the city government said in a statement.

The cook used the nitrite to season dishes for a dinner in Wangzhuang Village, Anshun, on Friday, it said.

A total of 73 dinner guests were admitted to five hospitals that night after showing symptoms of food poisoning. The girl died after treatment failed. Thirty-one victims are still in hospital.

Source: Xinhua

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