Concerns have grown that Chinese cabbage treated with formaldehyde solution to keep it fresh could reach markets through third countries, after the practice was exposed in China. Taiwanese authorities have now found pesticide residue at twice the permitted level in fresh cabbage imported from Vietnam during border inspections.
China's Formalin Cabbage Scare Prompts Checks on Vietnamese Imports
Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration detected pesticide residue above the legal limit in 18,900 kilograms of fresh cabbage from Vietnam during sample inspections of imported food at the border, according to the agency and the Liberty Times on the 6th.
The Liberty Times reported that the inspection was linked to the so-called formalin cabbage controversy that erupted in China in August. Some Chinese wholesalers were found to have dipped cabbage roots in formaldehyde solution, a Group 1 carcinogen, to extend shelf life.
The newspaper said concerns have been raised that cabbage treated this way in China could be routed through Vietnam and other third countries to disguise its origin, or processed into kimchi before reaching consumers. There is no confirmation, however, that the Vietnamese cabbage flagged in this case was grown in China or treated with formaldehyde.
The problem actually identified in the inspection was pesticide residue. The Vietnamese cabbage contained 0.02 parts per million of trichlorfon, an insecticide, twice Taiwan's limit of 0.01 ppm.
The cabbage was produced by BA RIA TTN COMPANY LIMITED of Vietnam and declared for import by Taiwan's Zhuchang Trading Co. The import declaration was filed on the 11th of last month, and the test results were released on the 6th of this month. Taiwanese authorities plan to return or destroy all 18.9 tons of the cabbage that failed to meet standards.
Formaldehyde Dipping in China Kept Cabbage Fresh 2 to 3 Days Longer
The formalin cabbage controversy began on Aug. 22, when a Chinese blogger posted video footage of a cabbage purchasing site in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province.
The footage showed workers dipping cabbage roots into containers of liquid before loading them onto trucks. A container labeled formaldehyde solution was also found on one of the trucks being loaded.
A person at the site said the solution could keep the cabbage fresh for an additional two to three days. A truck driver who appeared in the video said the cabbage was headed for Suqian, Jiangsu Province.
The Kangbao County government deployed agriculture, market regulation and police authorities the same day and officially confirmed that the allegations in the video were true. Authorities said the purchaser had committed an illegal act to maintain freshness during vegetable transport.
Police took enforcement measures against those involved and the vehicles, and urgently traced the distribution route of the cabbage in question. Local authorities expanded inspections to cover the entire process from vegetable purchasing to transport and sales in the area.
Formaldehyde dissolved in water is the chemical commonly known as formalin. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, classifies formaldehyde as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning there is sufficient evidence that it causes cancer in humans. Its use in food production and processing is banned in China as well.
No Shipments Entered Korea as Checks on Chinese Cabbage and Kimchi Tightened
South Korea also stepped up inspections of Chinese cabbage and kimchi at the time, but no evidence emerged that the tainted cabbage had entered the country.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said on Aug. 31 that cabbage treated with formaldehyde in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, had not been exported to South Korea. The ministry said it confirmed this through the South Korean Embassy in China.
Starting Aug. 24, immediately after the controversy broke, the ministry tested every shipment of Chinese cabbage for formaldehyde residue. It also conducted tests on Chinese cabbage kimchi and salted cabbage by manufacturer.
No formaldehyde was detected in any of the 15 shipments of Chinese cabbage and 124 shipments of cabbage kimchi tested at customs through Aug. 31.
Oh Yu-kyoung, the minister of food and drug safety, visited the Pyeongtaek Imported Food Inspection Office at the time to review customs inspections of Chinese cabbage and cabbage kimchi. Blocking hazards in imported food at the customs stage is central to public safety, the minister said, calling for an airtight inspection system. The ministry said it would continue detailed testing of fresh and salted cabbage and kimchi products from China.
