Photo: Screenshot from an online blogger's video

In response to public concerns over whether "formaldehyde-treated cabbage" had entered the market, Zhuhai city in South China's Guangdong Province on Sunday released the results of a special inspection, which showed that all samples of Napa cabbage and Chinese flowering cabbage tested negative and met safety standards

Recently, illegally using formaldehyde solution to preserve cabbage during mass purchasing and loading by some vendors in Kangbao county in Zhangjiakou city, North China's Hebei Province, has sparked widespread concern over possible circulation of "formaldehyde-treated cabbage" across the country, according to an article released by the local authority through its official WeChat account. 

Three suspects were placed under criminal detention and the investigation is ongoing, The Paper reported on Saturday. 

In response to public concerns and following directives from China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Zhuhai authorities recently launched a special inspection targeting "formaldehyde-treated cabbage" at the Haodong vegetable wholesale market in Xiangzhou district, vowing to ensure the safety of agricultural products, according to the article. 

During the operation, the authorities sampled perishable vegetables such as Napa cabbage and Chinese flowering cabbage for rapid formaldehyde testing, while checking vendors' suppliers, sourcing channels and transport methods to ensure full traceability.

The investigation found that most Napa cabbage and Chinese flowering cabbage at the Haodong vegetable wholesale market are transported via the cold chain, with most wholesalers holding formaldehyde test reports from suppliers. All sampled products tested negative for formaldehyde in on-site rapid tests. 

Apart from Zhuhai city, Guangzhou Jiangnan fruit and vegetable wholesale market in Guangzhou, the largest vegetable distribution hub in South China, has been conducting frequent special inspections of Napa cabbage sold at the market since the "formaldehyde-treated cabbage" incident stirred public concerns, the Guangzhou-based Xinkuaibao newspaper reported last Wednesday. 

The testing data released last Wednesday showed that the market conducted special formaldehyde spot checks on 70 batches of Chinese cabbage across the market that day. The tests were carried out by an independent agency, with all samples testing negative. 

The tests covered cabbage from multiple producing areas in Gansu, Yunnan, Tianjin and Hebei, including Zhangbei county in Zhangjiakou, with one batch sampled from Hebei. The market received about 535 tons of Napa cabbage that day, including 7 tons from Hebei, with no problematic produce from Kangbao county detected, according to Xinkuaibao. 

Several wholesalers said their cabbage is transported to Guangzhou via the cold chain and comes with safety-compliance test reports. A wholesaler said the Hebei cabbage involved in the incident is transported in bulk mainly to neighboring provinces, while cabbage shipped to Guangzhou is kept fresh through end-to-end cold-chain transport, without the use of formaldehyde.

Global Times