Carcinogenic Formaldehyde Used on Cabbage in China's Hebei Province, Authorities Investigate

A shocking discovery has been made in Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, China, where cabbage was found to have been treated with formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, to preserve its freshness.

Reports from Hong Kong01, China Business News, and Central News Agency indicate that some vendors were apprehended while attempting to transport cabbage treated with formaldehyde solution to other regions. Local authorities confirmed the illegal activity, stating that it was an act by purchasing agents to maintain freshness during transportation. Measures have been enforced against the individuals and vehicles involved, and an urgent trace of the formaldehyde-treated cabbage's distribution network has been initiated.

Video footage released by China Business News showed harvested cabbage and containers labeled 'formaldehyde' in a field. The Kangbao County authorities confirmed the incident, identifying it as an illegal act by purchasing agents. Public security authorities have taken coercive measures against the involved parties and are conducting further investigations, while also urgently tracking the distribution channels of the affected cabbage.

Under Chinese law, formaldehyde is prohibited for use as a food processing aid. The substance is a colorless organic compound with a pungent odor that can cause various damages to the respiratory, digestive, circulatory, and nervous systems, and is linked to leukemia and cancer. The World Health Organization classifies formaldehyde as a carcinogen.

This is not the first time formaldehyde-treated vegetables have been exposed in China. Similar incidents involving cabbage treated with formaldehyde were reported in Shandong province in 2012, and in Guangzhou, where over 120 tons of such cabbage were seized. In 2025, formaldehyde-treated cabbage was also found in the Dingzhou vegetable wholesale market in Hebei province.