Food scandals are so common in China that they no longer offer shock or surprise to anyone that’s been here for any length of time. To wake everyone up from that dull slumber Chinese farmers have truly outdone themselves this time – exploding watermelons. Add to that drugged fish and counterfeit duck to round out the latest list to watch what you eat.

Farms in Jiangsu have been losing acres of watermelons after they began exploding. CCTV has claimed the result is from an overuse of growth chemicals used on the melons, though some farmers claim to have not sprayed anything on their crops.

In some less exciting food news, fish are being drugged to speed up growth and breeding. No reports of exploding fish have been reported. The list of drugs include contraceptive pills and antibiotics – including many that are banned in other countries but legal to use in parts of China.

Beijing's iconic roast duck has fallen prey to the work of counterfeiting. Unless you buy your duck bagged there is no need to worry. Packaged Quanjude roast duck - often bought as souvenirs for family and friends in other provinces -  has been found to contain just "bones and some rotten meat." The ducks sold at several tourist sites and around the train station are offered for discount prices of RMB 50 when the legitimate ones sell for RMB 90 in supermarkets.

In a new twist, the government is supposedly offering more journalistic freedom in the reporting and investigation of food safety as a means of shaming food safety violators.

Photo: AP/The Guardian