As reports emerged that formaldehyde had been used on cabbages from some production areas in China, concerns also grew in South Korea about the safety of Chinese cabbage and kimchi made with Chinese cabbage.
Formaldehyde was not detected in 82 domestically distributed products, but the Seoul Metropolitan Government separately announced that it would inspect distribution and sales sites and analyze additional products.
This is why the issue reported at overseas production sites, the results of domestic inspections, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s follow-up plans should not be read as if they were the same conclusion.
3-Line Summary
1. Formaldehyde was not detected in 82 domestically distributed products
2. The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on-site inspections and additional analyses
3. The production-site controversy and domestic results must be distinguished
Formaldehyde Was Not Detected in 82 Domestically Distributed Products
The controversy began after it became known that formaldehyde had been used in some regions of China for the purpose of maintaining cabbage freshness. According to reports, Chinese authorities began tracing the distribution route, while the South Korean government strengthened inspections at the customs-clearance stage. Formaldehyde is a substance classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a Group 1 carcinogen, and was reported to be used for industrial purposes, disinfection, and the preservation of biological tissue.
There is a separate result that South Korean consumers can verify. According to the Yahoo!ニュース report, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety inspected 82 cases of Chinese cabbage, kimchi made with Chinese cabbage, and pickled cabbage being distributed in South Korea through August 27. Formaldehyde was not detected in these inspections.
This figure refers to the inspection results for 82 products that were being distributed domestically. It cannot be expanded to mean that the condition of all Chinese cabbage, or all products to be distributed in the future, has already been determined. Conversely, it is also not possible to say that formaldehyde was detected in the domestically inspected products simply because a problem at a Chinese production site was reported.
In this matter, the problem of improper use at the production site and inspections of domestically distributed products differ in both their subjects and timing. One concerns a distribution-process problem raised in some regions of China, while the other concerns the actual inspection results for products being distributed in South Korea. To reduce anxiety, it is more accurate to first examine which products were inspected rather than simply saying that “there was a controversy.”
Seoul Announced Inspections of 9,500 (9500) Places and Analysis of 12 Collected Samples
On August 31, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it would launch a safety-inspection system to verify the safety of Chinese cabbage and kimchi from China. The inspection covers everything from the stage when products enter wholesale markets to online and offline distribution, as well as consumer-facing locations such as restaurants and traditional markets. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited the Seoul Metropolitan Government Research Institute of Public Health and Environment to inspect the formaldehyde testing process and response system.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said that the special inspections would target 9,500 places. It plans to conduct a full inspection of 10 kimchi manufacturing and processing businesses, while also examining 490 side-dish stores, approximately 6,400 general restaurants that serve kimchi made with Chinese cabbage, and 2,600 cabbage-selling businesses, including traditional markets. In particular, it said it would focus on whether country-of-origin labeling was accurate and whether there had been any false labeling.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government also said that it was collecting and analyzing 8 packages of Chinese kimchi sold online and 4 offline products, for a total of 12 samples. Chinese cabbage entering Seoul municipal wholesale markets, including Garak Market, is also subject to inspection. The process was described as follows: once the Seoul Agro-Fisheries & Food Corporation confirms whether products have entered the market, the Seoul Metropolitan Government collects the products and the Research Institute of Public Health and Environment conducts the inspections.
Here, 12 refers to the number of products being collected and analyzed, not the number of products for which inspection results have been announced. The Seoul Metropolitan Government also presented a policy of notifying relevant agencies, including the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and preventing distribution if products of concern are identified. This is a follow-up action plan to be taken if a problem is confirmed; it does not mean that blocking measures have already been implemented.
Reports Also Emerged of Market-Access Damage in Kangbao County, Hebei Province
In Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, China, reports emerged that cabbages from the production area had lost their sales channels after an exposé alleged that the root portions of cabbages had been dipped in a liquid believed to be formaldehyde. The ｄメニューニュース report reported that large quantities of cabbage unable to find buyers remained in the fields, causing difficulties for farmers.
The act mentioned in the report involved dipping the root portions of cabbages in liquid immediately before shipment, with the purpose of making their appearance look better. The report introduced a local trading practice in which workers arranged by the purchasing company handled harvesting and loading the cabbages onto trucks. It also included a farmer’s statement that, after receiving payment, farmers moved on to other agricultural work and therefore had difficulty knowing the details of the loading process.
Kangbao County’s cabbage cultivation area this year is approximately 1,800 hectares. As of August 25, approximately 1,070 hectares had reportedly been shipped, while approximately 730 hectares remained in the fields. The report also said that frost could begin around September 20 and that local refrigerated warehouses were already full. This information concerns the sales channels and harvesting problems in that Chinese production area; it is not material showing the overall condition of cabbage distributed in South Korea.
The domestic result confirmed so far is no detection in 82 cases. The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s on-site inspections and additional collection and analysis are at the ongoing or planned stage. When considering the cabbage controversy, the clearest approach is to keep separate the reports from Chinese production areas, inspections of cabbage distributed in South Korea, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s response.
References
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