White mice are to take part in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing - their task to protect international athletes from food poisoning

BBC News:

The mice will be fed milk, alcohol, salad, rice, oil and seasonings, the city's health inspectors said.

Mice show adverse reactions within 17 hours, while laboratory tests take much longer, they said.

Poor hygiene in food handling and low standards in distribution have made food poisoning rife in China.

The move is part of the huge effort the Chinese are making to ensure the showpiece event passes off smoothly.

Olympic mice will test if food is squeaky clean