Local media reported that some expired processed food items, which were dumped by various retail outlets at a wasteyard in Wuhan, were then collected and resold by local citizens. Authorities are now looking into the case.

The initial investigation indicated that only a small amount of expired food had been abandoned at the dumpster, and that only a few people had picked food out of the dumpster before it was cleaned. China's Food and Drug Administration also conducted a thorough inspection of the market to search for expired food. At the time of publication, no expired food had been found.

There is one enclosed landfill in use in Wuhan, and four more like it under construction. In the mean time, garbage collection vehicles are being sent to food retailers around the city to collect expired food. The expired food is destroyed before being disposed of at landfills. 

Authorities ask citizens not to salvage or purchase expired food, and to report any food safety violations to the relevant department.