China's 'Formaldehyde Cabbage' Scandal Prompts Central Government Investigation

[Financial News] China's central government has ordered a special investigation after it was confirmed that some rural areas had used formaldehyde, a Group 1 carcinogen, to keep cabbage fresh. The distribution route of the cabbage in question and whether it was exported overseas have not yet been identified.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Xinhua News Agency, China Central Television (CCTV), and others on the 24th, the State Council Food Safety Commission Office, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China, and the State Administration for Market Regulation instructed local authorities to conduct a thorough and swift investigation into the so-called 'formaldehyde cabbage' case in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province.

The agencies also ordered authorities to trace the distribution route of the cabbage and block any further circulation. They further directed that any illegal activity be strictly punished in accordance with the law.
Authorities across the country were also told to carry out special sample inspections and market checks on perishable vegetables such as cabbage.
Shinpadi Agricultural Products Wholesale Market, Beijing's largest agricultural wholesale market, has also begun reviewing the entire process through which agricultural products enter and are sold.
The market said its own checks found that the cabbage in question had never entered the market. It added that all cabbage currently on sale has inspection certificates and that supply remains stable.
The case came to light after a Chinese blogger released video footage of a cabbage procurement site in Kangbao County. The blogger claimed that workers at the site were using a formaldehyde solution to keep the cabbage fresh.

In the released video, buyers lifted each cabbage before loading it onto trucks and dipped the root ends into a basin filled with liquid. The liquid was believed to be formaldehyde.
A site official was reportedly heard saying that this method could keep cabbage fresh for two to three more days. A container labeled 'formaldehyde solution' was also found beside the truck.
After the controversy grew, the Kangbao County government launched an on-site investigation. The findings confirmed that the video was authentic.
The Kangbao County government said it was "an illegal act committed by a buyer to preserve freshness during the transportation of cabbage." Police authorities took compulsory measures under the law against the people involved and the vehicles used.
It has not yet been confirmed whether the cabbage in question was shipped overseas, including to South Korea. The extent of its distribution within China also remains unclear.
Formaldehyde is a colorless chemical with strong irritant properties. Its aqueous solution is commonly known as formalin.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), classifies formaldehyde as a Group 1 carcinogen with sufficient evidence that it can cause cancer in humans.
Under Chinese regulations, formaldehyde cannot be used as an additive in food processing. The Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China and the Law of the People's Republic of China on Quality and Safety of Agricultural Products also prohibit its production, sale, and use.

[email protected] Han Seung-gon Reporter