South Korea steps up checks as China probes formaldehyde-tainted cabbages
A viral video showing cabbages being dipped in a formaldehyde solution in northern China to preserve freshness has triggered nationwide inspections and regional concern.
The scandal emerged when a Chinese environmental blogger, known by his handle Qige, posted a video claiming that some workers in Tunken township in Kangbao county in China’s Hebei province had dipped cabbages in an alleged formaldehyde solution before loading them for transportation. (Image: Bilibili/渔猎齐哥)
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BEIJING: South Korea has stepped up inspections of Chinese cabbage imports as a food safety scandal in China involving the vegetables being dipped in formaldehyde stirs regional concern.
Taiwan is also checking whether potentially tainted produce could have reached it indirectly.
The heightened scrutiny comes as China carries out nationwide inspections of perishable vegetables, after authorities in northern Hebei province confirmed on Saturday that formaldehyde – a known carcinogen – had been illegally used to preserve cabbages during transportation.
South Korea began tighter inspections of Chinese napa cabbage imports on Monday (Aug 24).
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Its Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said on Wednesday that it had tested eight batches of napa cabbage from China since then, with no formaldehyde detected.
It is also checking with Chinese authorities whether any cabbages implicated in the Hebei case had been exported to South Korea.
Additionally, the ministry is testing kimchi and pickled products made with Chinese napa cabbage that are already circulating in the domestic market, according to South Korean media.
Napa cabbage is a key ingredient in kimchi, the fermented vegetable dish ubiquitous in South Korean cuisine.
South Korean news outlet SBS reported on Wednesday that of the 194,400 tonnes of kimchi imported into the country this year, 99.9 per cent came from China.
CNA has contacted the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to ask whether checks have been done on cabbages imported from China, and if additional measures have been put in place.
Taiwan has also moved to reassure consumers over the scandal.
The island’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Monday that there were no records of Chinese cabbages being imported this year, according to local news outlet Taipei Times. Taiwan bars Chinese cabbage from being imported from China.
But concerns were subsequently raised over whether potentially tainted cabbage could have reached Taiwan indirectly through kimchi imported from South Korea.
In a follow-up statement on Tuesday, the FDA said no kimchi or other products made with the cabbage implicated in the scandal had been imported from South Korea.
HOW THE SCANDAL SURFACED
The scandal emerged when a Chinese environmental blogger, known by his handle Qige, posted a video on Douyin on Saturday, claiming that some workers in Tunken township in Hebei’s Kangbao county had dipped cabbages in an alleged formaldehyde solution before loading them for transportation.
In the video, Qige asked the workers dipping the cabbages how long the treatment would keep the vegetables fresh. “Two to three days,” one replied.
Workers in the video said the load was bound for Suqian city in Jiangsu province.
The allegations quickly went viral. Local authorities confirmed later that day that preliminary investigations show the practices shown in the video had occurred, China Daily reported.
Formaldehyde is classified as carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. It is used in a range of industries, including in the manufacture of plastics and resins, and has preservative properties.
Under Chinese law, formaldehyde cannot be used as a food-processing aid and adding formaldehyde to food in any manner is illegal.
Police have taken legal measures against the people and vehicles involved, Kangbao authorities said, without specifying what those measures were. A countywide inspection of vegetable production, purchasing and transportation is also underway, along with efforts to trace the affected vegetables.
The revelations quickly prompted a national response.
On Sunday, the State Council’s food safety commission, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and State Administration for Market Regulation ordered local authorities nationwide to carry out spot checks and market inspections on perishable vegetables such as cabbage.
In a separate statement, Beijing’s Fengtai district said on Sunday that none of the implicated cabbage batches had entered the Xinfadi market as of late Saturday. Xinfadi market is one of Beijing’s major sources of fresh produce.
This is not the first time the use of formaldehyde to preserve cabbage has caused alarm in China.
In 2012, Chinese media reports exposed vegetable traders in eastern Shandong province spraying formaldehyde on cabbages to keep them fresh during long-distance transportation.
Some traders said at the time that the practice had been used for several years and was not limited to the area, according to an investigation by state news agency Xinhua.
More recently, a food safety scandal erupted in 2024 after investigations found that tankers had transported cooking oil after carrying industrial liquids, without their tanks being properly cleaned between loads.
Source: Agencies/lk(ws)
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