Fastfood chain McDonald’s has been fined HK$7,000 (US$900) for selling a seasoning that contained a banned sweetener in its Hong Kong restaurants.
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McDonald’s pleaded guilty to selling a honey barbecue seasoning that contained stevioside, a low-calorie sweetener that is believed to be carcinogenic and has also been linked to infertility, reported the South China Morning Post.
The seasoning was served with the chain’s French fries during its Shake Shake Fries promotion last year. However, the company withdrew the product when it was informed of the violation by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. Although banned in the US and Europe, stevioside is legal in mainland China and certain other parts of Asia.
