By Blessing Nweke
Chinese authorities have launched a nationwide food-safety investigation after confirming that formaldehyde was illegally used to keep cabbages fresh during transportation in Hebei province.
The case emerged after an online blogger released footage appearing to show workers dipping the roots of cabbages into a liquid before loading them onto trucks in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou. Local officials later confirmed that the practice shown in the video was real and described it as an illegal act by cabbage buyers seeking to extend the vegetables’ freshness during transport.
Authorities said the treatment could keep cabbages fresh for an additional two to three days. Containers marked as containing formaldehyde solution were reportedly seen near the vehicles.
China’s Food Safety Office, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and State Administration for Market Regulation have ordered a thorough investigation. Officials are tracing the distribution routes of the affected cabbages and checking whether they reached markets elsewhere in the country. Police have also taken legal measures against people and vehicles linked to the incident.
The government has ordered inspections of perishable vegetables nationwide as concerns grow over possible food-safety violations. Beijing’s major Xinfadi agricultural wholesale market has also investigated its supply channels.
Formaldehyde is classified by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer as a Group 1 carcinogen. Its use as a food-processing aid is prohibited under Chinese law. Officials have not confirmed whether the affected cabbages were exported overseas.
Original article
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