A cabbage field [123RF]
A cabbage field [123RF]

Chinese authorities have launched an investigation after cabbage in a rural area was found to have been treated with formaldehyde, a carcinogen, to keep it fresh during transport.

Authorities in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province confirmed Sunday that allegations of formaldehyde use during local cabbage purchasing were true, according to Yonhap.

Officials said a buyer had illegally applied formaldehyde solution to the cabbage during loading to preserve its freshness in transit.

Local police have taken compulsory measures against those involved and the vehicles used, and are continuing their investigation.

Authorities are also urgently tracing the distribution channels of the affected cabbage and have launched a comprehensive probe into the purchasing, transport and sale of vegetables across Kangbao County.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the tainted cabbage was exported to South Korea or other countries, and the full extent of its distribution within China remains unclear.

Formaldehyde is a colorless chemical with a strong irritating odor. Its aqueous solution is commonly known as formalin.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, a body under the WHO, classifies formaldehyde as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning there is sufficient evidence that it causes cancer in humans.

China strictly prohibits the production, sale and use of formaldehyde as a food-processing additive under its Food Safety Law and Agricultural Product Quality Safety Law.

The case came to light after an internet blogger posted footage filmed at a cabbage purchasing site in Kangbao County.

The blogger said workers at the scene were dipping cabbage into formaldehyde solution before loading it onto trucks to preserve freshness.

The footage showed workers picking up individual heads of cabbage, dipping the root ends into basins containing a liquid believed to be formaldehyde, and then loading them onto trucks.

A person at the scene said the treatment could keep the cabbage fresh for two to three days longer.

Containers labeled "formaldehyde solution" were also found beside the trucks.

Kangbao County authorities said they would investigate whether similar illegal practices had occurred at any stage from purchasing through transport to sale, and that any violations found would be dealt with severely under the law.


husn7@heraldcorp.com