Cabbage Treated with Carcinogen Found in China; Export Status Unclear

Chinese authorities have launched a nationwide special inspection targeting vegetables prone to spoilage, following the exposure of a practice where distributors used formaldehyde solution to preserve cabbage during long-distance transport. The incident came to light after a video surfaced on Douyin, a Chinese TikTok equivalent, showing workers dipping cabbage roots into a container suspected of holding formaldehyde solution before loading them onto trucks.

The video, captured in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, revealed workers explaining that this method could extend the freshness of the cabbage by two to three days. The containers near the trucks were labeled "formaldehyde solution." Local authorities confirmed the video's content, identifying the act as illegal and stating that relevant individuals and vehicles had been subjected to legal enforcement measures by public security organs.

Formaldehyde solution, commonly known as formalin, is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). China's food safety laws also prohibit its use in food products. The Beijing Xinfadi market, a major agricultural wholesale market, has initiated its own investigation into the distribution channels, reporting that the problematic cabbage has not entered their market and that all currently sold cabbage has passed inspection.

However, the full extent of the affected cabbage's distribution within China and any potential export remains unclear. The truck seen in the video bore a license plate from Anhui Province, suggesting the treated cabbage might have circulated in various parts of the country. Chinese authorities are now tracing the distribution routes to prevent the contaminated produce from reaching the market and are conducting random sampling and market inspections across the nation.

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If processed like this, the freshness of the cabbage can be maintained for an additional 2 to 3 days.