Food Roundup: Mexico Rejects U.S. Meat, China Melamine Trial Begins, and More

(MoneyWatch)  U.S. meat rejected at Mexican border -- Mexico has unexpectedly blocked meat imports from 30 plants in the U.S., including those of major processors like Tyson, Cargill and Smithfield. No official reason was given, but the move may be retaliation for U.S. country-of-origin labeling laws. [Source: AP]

Six go on trial in China for melamine -- The men are accused of manufacturing and selling the chemical that made more than 300,000 kids sick and killed at least six. Companies added melamine to milk to trick tests into registering higher protein content. [Source: BBC News]

Asahi, Itochu to boost safe China milk production -- The companies said they'll start doubling output at their joint China plant as early as February. Their milk, launched in China in September, is advertised as safe, closely-monitored and melamine-free. [Source: AsiaPulse]

McDonald's hires crowd for Osaka restaurant -- The burger company admitted that 1,000 of the customers who lined up for the opening of a new branch in Japan were actually being paid. However, McDonald's said it only hired them to give consumer feedback for marketing purposes, not to boost the size of the crowd. [Source: Japan Today]