"Why Were They So Fresh for So Long?"... Shock Over Liquid Soaked on Cabbage

Formaldehyde Used to Preserve Freshness
No Confirmation Yet on Exports to Korea or Abroad

Authorities in China have launched an investigation after it was revealed that formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, was used to preserve the freshness of cabbage during long-distance transport in a rural area.

On August 23, Yonhap News Agency, citing Chinese media including Jimu News and The Paper, reported that officials in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, confirmed the use of formaldehyde solution in the local cabbage purchasing process after investigating related suspicions.

Formaldehyde is categorized as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization (WHO), meaning there is sufficient evidence it can cause cancer in humans. It is a highly irritating, colorless chemical; in aqueous solution, it is commonly referred to as “formalin.” The artificial addition of formaldehyde to food is illegal in China, as the country’s Food Safety Law prohibits the use of any chemical substances other than approved food additives in food products.

A Chinese blogger recorded footage of someone using a first-class carcinogen, formaldehyde solution, at a cabbage purchasing site. Blogger video capture, Photo by Yonhap News Agency

This incident came to light when a Chinese blogger published footage of the cabbage purchasing site in Kangbao County. According to the blogger, after inspecting several cabbage transport vehicles at the site, he found that formaldehyde solution was being applied to the cabbages before they were loaded onto trucks to keep them fresh. The released video shows workers dipping the root parts of individual cabbages into a basin filled with a liquid believed to be formaldehyde and then loading them onto the truck. Next to the truck, a container labeled “formaldehyde solution” can be seen. The reason for applying formaldehyde solution to the cabbages was said to be to maintain freshness during long-distance shipment. A site representative explained that this method could keep the cabbages fresh for an additional two to three days.

Local public security authorities are taking legal action against those involved, as well as the vehicles, and are conducting further investigations. In addition to urgently tracking the distribution channels of the implicated cabbages, they have also launched a comprehensive investigation into the purchase, transport, and sale of vegetables throughout Kangbao County. So far, it remains unclear whether the affected cabbages have been exported to countries such as Korea or the extent of their distribution within China.

The Kangbao County authorities announced that they are investigating whether similar illegal activity has occurred during the entire process from vegetable procurement to transport and sales, and stated that any confirmed violations will be strictly punished.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.