Could China's cabbage scandal hurt kimchi's booming popularity in US?
SEATTLE — A food safety scandal involving formaldehyde-treated napa cabbage in China is raising a new question for kimchi’s fast-growing presence in the United States: Could the controversy hurt American consumers’ appetite for the Korean staple? Chinese authorities recently confirmed that napa cabbages were illegally soaked in a solution containing formaldehyde, a chemical classified as a human…
A food safety scandal involving Chinese napa cabbage treated with formaldehyde is causing concerns for the growing popularity of kimchi in the United States. Chinese authorities have confirmed the illegal use of a carcinogenic chemical to preserve the cabbage, leading to an investigation. Authorities in South Korea are now trying to trace the distribution of the affected produce.
While there is no evidence yet that kimchi containing the tainted cabbage has reached the U.S., the issue arises at a time when kimchi has gained significant traction among American consumers. Traditionally found at Korean restaurants and Asian markets, kimchi is now becoming a mainstream food item in the country.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
