Following a controversy over the production of sulfur-fumigated bamboo shoots in China, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that Chinese bamboo shoots have not been imported.

Previously, some media outlets reported that Chinese authorities launched an investigation after it was confirmed that bamboo shoots were processed using sulfur fumigation in certain regions of China.

In response to these reports, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety explained in a statement today (September 20) that "Chinese bamboo shoots have not been imported into South Korea in the form of agricultural products."

However, some processed Chinese bamboo shoot products, such as canned goods, are being imported.

The ministry has been conducting sulfur dioxide tests on processed foods during customs clearance inspections and has additionally decided to implement manufacturer-by-manufacturer tests for processed bamboo shoot products for a certain period.

Earlier, local Chinese media outlets reported that formaldehyde, a Group 1 carcinogen, was used on Chinese cabbages in certain regions of China, and food coloring was used on stem lettuce, causing widespread repercussions.

In response, the ministry strengthened customs clearance inspections and confirmed through the South Korean Embassy in China that the problematic cabbages and stem lettuce were not distributed domestically.

(Photo: Provided by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Yonhap News)