A Chinese customer selects pieces of pork, supplied by Shuanghui, which controls the country's largest meat-processing company in May 2013. China's Shuanghui International moved to buy US meats icon Smithfield Foods for $4.7 billion this week.
A Chinese customer selects pieces of pork, supplied by Shuanghui, which controls the country's largest meat-processing company in May 2013. China's Shuanghui International moved to buy US meats icon Smithfield Foods for $4.7 billion this week.
STR/AFP/Getty Images

Story highlights

China's biggest meat brand, Shuanghui, has tainted food history since 2011

Poison, maggots, bacteria allegedly in company products, say Chinese state-run media

Shuanghui bid to acquire U.S.-based Smithfield Foods, world's largest pork processor

USDA confirms to CNN it will still regulate Smithfield products if merger successful

Hong Kong CNN  — 

Allegations of maggots, excessive bacteria and illegal additives have plagued China’s biggest meat products company, Shuanghui International, since