Placenta as food in southern China?

People in southern China are notorious for their willingness to taste almost everything under the name of so-called Chinese medicine theory. Now, after bear bile, snakes and frogs,eating placenta has become a new trend.

In Quanzhou, Fujian province, a bowl of placenta steamed with sweet potato is around 500 yuan (US$73), mostly only available for reservation, reported the local media Southeastern News. Hospitals are the major supplier, said a chef in a local hotel. He pays around 300 yuan (US$44) for each placenta, which can be divided into four bowls, "so we could earn 2000 yuan(US$272)," he said, adding the special dish is only served for their regular customers because " you can't see it on the menu." He also said it is the rich nutrition of placentas that is driving the popularity of the dish. According to the Chinese medicine theory, placentas do work for malnutrition as it contains rich protein, but putting them into daily diet is not suggested, partly because of the risks of possible infection. China banned placenta trade in 2005.