Beyond formaldehyde cabbage: China's 'top 5' foods caught with carcinogen

Authorities in China's Hebei province have uncovered a disturbing practice where vendors are illegally soaking cabbage in formaldehyde solution to preserve it. This revelation has sparked widespread public outrage, highlighting a broader issue of unscrupulous businesses using formaldehyde to extend the shelf life of various food products. Formaldehyde is classified as a Class 1 carcinogen, and its use in food is strictly prohibited by Chinese law. Ingesting excessive amounts can lead to an increased risk of cancer and blood diseases, while acute poisoning can be fatal. Chinese media reports indicate that five categories of food are particularly prone to illegal formaldehyde treatment: animal organs like tripe and intestines,娃娃菜 and cabbage, pickled chicken feet, hairtail and silverfish, and glass noodles (known as 'fentiao' in China). For animal organs, formaldehyde treatment makes them appear larger, whiter, and shinier, improving their marketability. Similarly,娃娃菜 and cabbage, with their high water content, are susceptible to spoilage; vendors spray diluted formaldehyde on their roots to inhibit bacterial growth and prevent rot during transport. Pickled chicken feet treated with formaldehyde may appear unnaturally white and plump, with any off-putting odor masked by strong seasonings. Hairtail and silverfish, which perish quickly after death, are also treated to maintain freshness and color. A particularly stark case involved an individual sentenced to 11 years in prison and fined 3 million yuan for using industrial formaldehyde to soak silverfish, which were then sold to merchants in Jiangsu province. Even glass noodles, a starch-based product, have been found adulterated with formaldehyde to prevent spoilage and improve texture and appearance.