As it was revealed that formaldehyde, a Group 1 carcinogen, was used to keep cabbages fresh in some rural areas of China, the Chinese central government has directly ordered a special investigation.

According to state-run Xinhua News Agency and China Central Television (CCTV), the State Council's Food Safety Office, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the State Administration for Market Regulation instructed local authorities to conduct a thorough and prompt investigation into the "formaldehyde cabbage" incident in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province.

These agencies ordered authorities to trace the distribution routes of the problematic cabbages to block them from entering the market, while sternly punishing any confirmed illegal acts.

They also mandated nationwide special random inspections and market surveys targeting perishable vegetables such as cabbages.

Xinfadi Agricultural Products Wholesale Market, Beijing's largest agricultural wholesale market, has also launched an investigation into overall agricultural product distribution channels.

The Xinfadi market stated that the investigation confirmed the tainted cabbages did not enter the market, adding that all cabbages currently on sale come with inspection compliance reports and that supply remains stable.

The formaldehyde cabbage controversy came to light after a Chinese blogger released footage filming a cabbage-purchasing site in Kangbao County.

The blogger claimed that workers applied formaldehyde solutions to cabbages to maintain their freshness.

The video captured buyers lifting cabbages one by one before loading them onto trucks, dipping their root parts into a basin containing liquid presumed to be formaldehyde, and taking them out.

An official at the site reportedly stated that processing them this way keeps the cabbages fresh for 2 to 3 days longer, and a container labeled "formaldehyde solution" was found next to the cargo truck.

As the controversy spread, the Kangbao County government launched an on-site investigation and confirmed that the contents of the video were true.

The Kangbao County government stated, "This was an illegal act committed by a buyer to maintain freshness during cabbage transportation," adding that public security authorities have taken coercive measures under the law against the individuals and vehicles involved.

To date, it has not been confirmed whether the problematic cabbages were exported overseas to countries like South Korea, nor has the specific scope of distribution within China been identified.

Formaldehyde is a colorless, highly pungent chemical substance, and its aqueous solution is commonly known as formalin.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), classifies formaldehyde as a Group 1 carcinogen with sufficient evidence of causing cancer in humans.

China also strictly prohibits the production, sale, and use of formaldehyde as a food processing aid through laws such as the Food Safety Law and the Agricultural Product Quality Safety Law.

As there have been previous cases in China where formaldehyde was detected being used to delay vegetable spoilage during long-distance transport, this incident has once again brought food safety management issues under heavy scrutiny.
 
(Photo: Capture from Chinese internet blogger video, Yonhap News)