Reports from Taiwan of hairy crabs containing a chemical linked to cancer haven't had much effect of local residents' enthusiasm for the seasonal delicacy.

Shanghai residents continue to head off to Yangcheng Lake, the breeding area for the best hairy crabs in China, every weekend to fill up on the crustaceans, according to industry sources.

Officials in Taiwan reported last week that a batch of more than 600 kilograms of hairy crabs from Yangcheng Lake bearing the Shuizhongxian brandname was found on October 17 to contain AOZ, an antibiotic that has been linked to cancer.

More than 80,000 people visited Yangcheng Lake in Jiangsu Province over last weekend, consuming 50 tons of hairy crabs. About 90 percent of the guests were from Shanghai, according to the Yangcheng Lake Tourism Administrative Center.

The number of visitors was up slightly from the same period last year, according to Song Zhengjiang, director of the center. "I think that proves hairy crabs from Yangcheng Lake are absolutely free of quality problems."

A local taxi driver surnamed Huang said he has taken many passengers to Bacheng Town, the famed lake's location, every year during the crab peak, and last weekend was no exception.

"I saw no influence from the Taiwan report," said Huang. "The streets and the highway were crowded, and people speaking Shanghai dialect could be seen everywhere."

Yucca Yan, a 23-year-old interpreter, said she doesn't believe eating hairy crabs will cause cancer.

"I love the hairy crab's taste and I will not give up the delicacy," she said. "Many people around me eat hairy crabs every year, and I've never heard of anyone catching cancer."

Meanwhile, Kunshan Aquatic Product Co Ltd, the company that exported the questionable crabs to Taiwan, said it will resume exports to the island province at the end of this month.

"The state-level bureau of quality and technical supervision has said the 743 tons of hairy crabs exported from the Chinese mainland this year all met quality standards," said company director Liu Zhong.

(Source: www.shanghai.gov.cn )