"Fresh for 2 to 3 More Days" Chinese Cabbage Treated With Formaldehyde; Whether It Was Exported to South Korea Remains Unconfirmed

[Financial News] Authorities have launched an investigation after confirming that formaldehyde, a carcinogenic substance, was used to keep cabbage fresh in a rural area of China. The distribution route of the cabbage in question and whether it was exported overseas have not yet been identified.
According to Chinese media outlets such as Jimu News and The Paper on the 23rd, authorities in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, said they had investigated allegations that a formaldehyde solution was used during the local purchase of cabbage and confirmed the claims.
Authorities believe the buyer committed an illegal act by using a formaldehyde solution during loading to keep the cabbage fresh while it was being transported.
Local police have taken compulsory measures under the law against the people involved and the vehicles, and are continuing their investigation.
Authorities are also urgently tracing the distribution route of the cabbage. They have launched a full-scale investigation into the entire process of purchasing, transporting, and selling vegetables across Kangbao County.
So far, it has not been confirmed whether the cabbage was exported overseas, including to South Korea. The exact scope of its distribution within China has also not yet been determined.
Formaldehyde is a highly irritating, colorless chemical. Its aqueous solution is commonly known as "formalin."
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), under the World Health Organization (WHO), classifies formaldehyde as a Group 1 carcinogen with sufficient evidence that it can cause cancer in humans.
China also strictly prohibits the production, sale, and use of formaldehyde as a food-processing aid under laws such as the Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and the Food Safety Law of the PRC.
The case came to light after an internet blogger released a video showing the cabbage purchasing site in Kangbao County.
The blogger said he saw several cabbage transport trucks at the scene and claimed that workers were applying a formaldehyde solution to the cabbage before loading it onto the vehicles to keep it fresh.
In the released video, workers are seen lifting each head of cabbage, dipping the root end into a basin containing a liquid believed to be formaldehyde, and then loading it onto a cargo truck.
A person at the scene explained that this method could keep the cabbage fresh for two to three more days.

In addition, a container labeled "formaldehyde solution" was found beside the cargo truck.

Meanwhile, Kangbao County authorities said they would investigate whether similar illegal practices occurred throughout the entire process, from vegetable purchasing to transportation and sales. They also said that any violations would be punished strictly in accordance with the law.


[email protected] Han Seung-gon Reporter