315 Exposes Bleached Chicken Feet, "Chicken Feet Leading Stock" You Shang Food Stock Price Declines

On March 16, “Feng Zhua’s First Stock” Youyou Food (603697.SH) saw its stock price decline. By the close of trading in the morning, the company’s stock price had fallen 1.42% to 11.10 yuan per share, with a market value of 4.747 billion yuan.

Late on March 15, in response to some of the chaos exposed in the CCTV 315 Gala regarding chicken claw production and operation, Youyou Food issued a statement saying that as the founding company of pickled pepper chicken claws and a listed company, it firmly opposes any illegal or non-compliant production and business activities.

Youyou Food stated that the company has not illegally used any additives explicitly banned by the state, including “hydrogen peroxide,” and that its production and operation comply with relevant national laws and standards. The company has established a full-chain closed-loop control and traceability system covering raw material procurement, processing, quality inspection before shipment, warehousing, and logistics, with strict adherence to relevant management standards throughout the production process.

Founded in 1997, Youyou Food was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on May 8, 2019, and is known as the “First Stock of Chicken Claws.” In the first three quarters of 2025, the company reported revenue of 1.24 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 40.4%, and net profit attributable to the parent of 170 million yuan, up 43.3% year-on-year.

In addition to Youyou Food, brands like Wang Xiaolu and Zou Sanhe also responded to the bleaching chicken claws issue.

Wang Xiaolu stated that none of its products contain or are allowed to use illegal additives such as hydrogen peroxide. The company strictly follows national food safety standards and regularly sends products to authoritative third-party agencies for safety testing, with all reports being authentic and verifiable.

Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Beijing, Wang Xiaolu became popular nationwide with its viral product “Tiger Skin Chicken Claws.” Official information claims that it has ranked first in nationwide chicken claw snack sales for two consecutive years.

Zou Sanhe’s official customer service responded that all their products are produced legally and in compliance with regulations, and they do not use substances that are explicitly banned by the state. The process involves cleaning, marinating, and deodorizing, with each step meeting production standards.

According to the CCTV 315 Gala, some online-famous chicken claw production workshops with sales in the tens of thousands are filthy and smell terrible, yet the finished chicken claws appear white and attractive. This is mainly because factories bleach the chicken claws with hydrogen peroxide.

Hydrogen peroxide, also known as “peroxide,” is a strong oxidizer and disinfectant commonly used for sterilization. When used to soak food, it destroys nutrients like proteins and can mask food spoilage.

China’s “Food Safety National Standard for the Use of Food Additives (GB 2760-2024)” explicitly prohibits the use of hydrogen peroxide in chicken claw processing. This chemical can damage nutrients such as proteins in food, and long-term consumption of foods soaked in it can cause health hazards like oral mucosal damage and liver and kidney impairment. Excessive intake can even be life-threatening.

Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation conducted surprise inspections on companies involved in bleaching chicken claws, including Shufu Xiang, Mingyang Food, and Zeng Qiao Food. During the investigation of Shufu Xiang, law enforcement sampled all products, including hydrogen peroxide, soaking water, semi-finished, and finished products. A total of 232 boxes of Sichuan pepper chicken claws and 319 boxes of aromatic marinated chicken claws with detection issues were seized on the spot.

According to reports, Shufu Xiang Food Co., Ltd. supplies “Man Shan Chan” (Full Mountain Delicious), which has been promoted multiple times in live broadcasts by Hui Tongxing. In an interview, Hui Tongxing’s customer service stated that, after verification, the products sold under “Man Shan Chan” are not the ones exposed in the CCTV 315 Gala. The company checked the supplier’s testing reports at the time of product selection, and they meet relevant standards.

On March 16, Man Shan Chan issued a statement saying that although some products under the brand are produced by Sichuan Shufu Xiang Food Co., Ltd., the two products from Man Shan Chan are produced in separate facilities and production lines, using compliant processes and standards.