Korea steps up checks on Chinese cabbage, kimchi amid formaldehyde scare
Korean authorities have intensified safety checks on imported Chinese cabbage and kimchi — staples of Korean cuisine — after a Chinese supplier was found to have used formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen, to extend the shelf life of harvested cabbages. Central and local authorities say they have strengthened inspections at ports of entry while expanding testing for the chemical and other…
Korean authorities have ramped up safety inspections on imported Chinese cabbage and kimchi - key components of traditional Korean meals - following the discovery that a Chinese supplier had used formaldehyde, a carcinogen linked to cancer, to prolong the shelf life of harvested cabbages. Both central and local authorities claim they have stepped up port-of-entry inspections and broadened testing for the chemical and other potentially hazardous substances in food ingredients sourced from China.
On Monday, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon personally toured the city-operated Seoul Research Institute of Public Health and Environment to witness the testing procedure, encompassing sample preparation and thorough laboratory analysis of Chinese cabbage and cabbage kimchi gathered for screening. "Public anxiety over Chinese food ingredients has surged dramatically since the revelation of a case where formaldehyde was employed in Chinese cabbage kimchi," declared Mayor Oh.
"We will capitalize on this occasion to intensify routine inspections - not solely for formaldehyde, but also to ascertain if Chinese food ingredients have been exposed to heavy metals, artificial colors, or other harmful substances."
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.
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