China Probes Formaldehyde-Treated Cabbages, Spot-Checking 30 Million-Ton Supply
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 24
China Probes Formaldehyde-Treated Cabbages, Spot-Checking 30 Million-Ton Supply
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 24
Summary
Hebei authorities opened an investigation after verifying footage of people dipping cabbages in a solution before loading them onto trucks, with police already taking legal action against those involved.
Formaldehyde use to preserve food is banned in China because the chemical is linked to cancer risk, prompting nationwide market spot checks and tracing efforts to determine how widely affected vegetables spread.
Xinfadi market in Beijing said its own probe found none of the implicated cabbages entered the capital's major produce hub, part of a broader push to calm consumers and restore confidence.
China grows more than 30 million tons of cabbages a year—nearly half the global total—and exports much of the crop to Asian neighbors including Vietnam, South Korea and Russia.