China orders nationwide inspections after formaldehyde cabbage scandal

China's central government has ordered a special investigation after reports emerged that cabbage in some parts of the country had been treated with formaldehyde — also known as formalin — a Group 1 carcinogen.

According to state media outlets including Xinhua and China Central Television on Monday, the State Council's Food Safety Office, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the State Administration for Market Regulation directed local authorities in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province to conduct a thorough and swift investigation into the "formaldehyde cabbage" incident.

The agencies ordered officials to trace the distribution chain of the tainted cabbage and block it from reaching consumers, warning that any confirmed violations would be met with severe punishment.

They also instructed authorities nationwide to carry out special sampling inspections and market investigations targeting cabbage and other perishable vegetables for formaldehyde use.

Xinfadi, Beijing's largest agricultural wholesale market, also launched an investigation into its entire produce supply chain.

The market said its probe found no tainted cabbage had entered its premises, adding that all cabbage currently on sale carries inspection-clearance certificates.

The scandal broke after a Chinese blogger released footage filmed at a cabbage purchasing site in Kangbao County, claiming workers were coating the vegetables in formaldehyde solution to keep them fresh.

The video showed buyers lifting individual heads of cabbage and dipping the roots into basins containing a liquid believed to be formaldehyde before loading them onto trucks.

A person at the scene said the treatment could keep the cabbage fresh for longer. A container labeled "formaldehyde solution" was also found beside one of the trucks.

The Kangbao County government confirmed the authenticity of the footage after conducting an on-site inspection. It described the practice as "an illegal act committed by a buyer to preserve freshness during cabbage transport" and said public security authorities had taken legal action against those involved and the vehicles.

It has not yet been confirmed whether the affected cabbage was exported to South Korea or other countries, and the full extent of its domestic distribution in China remains unclear.

Formaldehyde is a colorless chemical with a strong, pungent odor; its aqueous solution is commonly known as formalin.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, a body under the WHO, classifies formaldehyde as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning there is sufficient evidence that it can cause cancer in humans.

China's Food Safety Law and the Law on Quality and Safety of Agricultural Products both prohibit the production, sale and use of formaldehyde as a food-processing aid.

Despite the ban, cases of formaldehyde being used to slow the spoilage of vegetables during long-distance transport have been detected in China in the past.