Certified Dazha crabs from east China's Yangcheng Lake are making them onto the dining tables of the city's major restaurants and into Shenzhen supermarkets.

October to December is the high season for the celebrated Dazha crab which is grown in Yangcheng Lake in Changshu County of Jiangsu. The most expensive and supposedly the most delicious freshwater crabs, the crustacean has a reputation in China for its special taste.

Almost 95 percent of Dazha crabs on sale in Shenzhen at present were fake, the Shenzhen Economic Daily reported Thursday.

Genuine Dazha crabs were classified as level A, B and C according to quality and were marked accordingly by the Suzhou Yangcheng Lake crab business association before being distributed nationwide, the paper said.

Residents are advised to check certification when ordering Dazha crabs.

(Shenzhen Daily October 17, 2003)