Napa Cabbages Coated in Formaldehyde to Cut Costs: China Launches Investigation Amid Outrage

[Anchor]

The recent incident in China where Napa cabbages were found contaminated with formaldehyde, a Group 1 carcinogen, reportedly stemmed from an attempt to cut down on refrigerated transport costs. Chinese authorities are currently investigating where these contaminated cabbages were distributed.

Beijing correspondent Han Sang-woo reports.

[Reporter]

Chinese distributors say that using the preservative formaldehyde allows them to maintain the freshness of Napa cabbages for a longer period.

[Yilicheoge / Blogger Who Exposed Formaldehyde Cabbages : (How much longer can they be kept fresh this way?) Two to three days.]

Even within China, long-distance transportation typically requires refrigerated vehicles to preserve freshness. However, soaking Napa cabbages in water mixed with formaldehyde means they can be transported using regular cargo trucks without spoiling.

Compared to refrigerated shipping, this cuts costs by more than half.

At the time of the crackdown, the cabbages loaded onto the cargo trucks were destined for regions such as Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, both of which are 10 to 12 hours away by vehicle.

The Chinese government has launched formaldehyde tests on cabbages distributed nationwide, including these regions.

Authorities are also investigating the distribution routes and scale of shipments originating from the cabbage cultivation areas in Hebei province.

At the same time, the government announced plans to establish a modern agricultural origin system by 2030, incorporating data on production sites, distribution routes, and pricing information.

So far, only reports stating that cabbages distributed in major cities like Beijing and Guangzhou are free of issues have been released, while comprehensive investigation results are still pending.

[Beijing Resident : It's not just South Koreans who are worried about this. We are very worried too. As soon as we saw that news, we had an immediate and massive reaction. Who wouldn't be worried?]

South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is currently working through the South Korean Embassy in China to check whether any products from the questionable cabbage-growing regions were imported into South Korea.

The South Korean Embassy in China requested verification from China's food safety authorities and import-export departments two days ago, but has not yet received a response.

(Camera: Choi Deok-hyun, Video Editing: Chae Cheol-ho, Design: Im Chan-hyeok)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.