Doctor Clarifies Formaldehyde Concerns in Chinese Cabbage: Ingestion Risks Low, Inhalation High

Recent reports from China alleging that cabbage has been treated with formaldehyde have prompted public concern, drawing parallels to earlier worries about formaldehyde in Hsinchu rice noodles. Dr. Du Cheng-zhe, an attending physician in thoracic surgery at Clarifying Hospital, addressed these concerns, explaining the nature and risks of formaldehyde.

Dr. Du clarified that formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound with a strong, pungent odor. While it is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the World Health Organization, primarily due to evidence from long-term inhalation exposure in occupational settings like pathology labs and funeral homes, its risk profile differs significantly when ingested.

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It enters the body and metabolizes very quickly.

He explained that formaldehyde is naturally present in trace amounts in many foods, including fruits and vegetables, and is also a byproduct of normal human metabolism. Once ingested, it is rapidly metabolized into formic acid and excreted, meaning small amounts do not accumulate in the body or cause acute poisoning. "It enters the body and metabolizes very quickly," Dr. Du stated, adding that significant doses are necessary for acute toxicity.

The physician emphasized that the carcinogenic risk from formaldehyde is strongly linked to inhalation. The International Agency for Research on Cancer's classification as a carcinogen is largely based on evidence showing increased risks of nasopharyngeal cancer and leukemia from prolonged inhalation. The WHO's assessment, he noted, suggests insufficient evidence to classify ingested formaldehyde as carcinogenic. Therefore, the route of exposure, inhalation versus ingestion, is a critical factor in understanding formaldehyde's health risks.

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The WHO's assessment believes that the existing evidence is insufficient to confirm it causes cancer.