Wastage costs Chinese city Guinness fried rice title

BEIJING (AP) — Guinness World Records has denied a Chinese city's attempt at a new mark for the biggest serving of fried rice ever cooked, saying Yangzhou violated rules by wasting 150 kilograms (331 pounds) of the feast.

According to a posting on the record book's Chinese microblog, organizers said 4 metric tons (8,820 pounds) of cooked fried rice was distributed to five different outlets. However, it said a portion had been handled inappropriately, violating the organization's rules requiring that the food be edible and not be wasted.

Local media quoted the Yangzhou tourism bureau as saying some of the rice was considered inedible and sent to a farm to feed pigs.

Yangzhou fried rice is famed in China and throughout the world for its creative use of ingredients, including carrots, peas and ham.

Local media said the record attempt last Thursday involved 300 cooks frying up the dish in individual woks before ladling it into one giant bowl for presentation. Most of it was then distributed to schools that had taken part in the event.