▲ Inspection of imported Chinese stem lettuce
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that tests on eight samples of Chinese stem lettuce currently distributed domestically showed no food coloring detected in any of them.
This inspection was prompted by local media reports in China that stem lettuce treated with food coloring was being distributed there.
The use of coloring agents, including food coloring, is prohibited in natural agricultural products.
The ministry has also implemented strengthened customs clearance inspections for Chinese stem lettuce.
To continue inspections beyond the eight emergency samples tested this time, the ministry has additionally collected stem lettuce currently in domestic distribution.
Furthermore, the ministry explained that it is verifying through the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in China whether stem lettuce treated with food coloring has been imported into South Korea from China.
Previously in August, controversy erupted after it was revealed that formaldehyde, a carcinogen, was used to maintain the freshness of napa cabbage in some rural regions of China.
(Photo: Provided by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Yonhap News)
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