Chinese authorities have ordered special inspections of cabbages and other perishable vegetables nationwide after footage emerged showing wholesale buyers dipping produce in formaldehyde solution during loading in Kangbao county, Hebei province.
The State Council Food Safety Office, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly announced the targeted controls. Local officials confirmed the videos were authentic and police have taken compulsory measures against the individuals and vehicles involved. Kangbao county authorities said in a statement Saturday that illegal practices would be dealt with strictly. Beijing's Xinfadi market said none of the affected vegetables had entered its supply chain.
Formaldehyde, classified as a carcinogen by the World Health Organization, is explicitly banned as a food-processing agent under Chinese law. Similar incidents have surfaced before, including cases in Shandong in 2012 and in Hebei's Dingzhou last year.