China Probes Formaldehyde Use on Cabbages

Chinese authorities have launched a nationwide investigation and inspection campaign after a video surfaced showing farmers in Hebei province using formaldehyde, a carcinogenic chemical, to preserve cabbages during transport. The incident, which has raised fresh concerns about food safety in the country, prompted immediate action from central government agencies and triggered heightened scrutiny from neighboring South Korea.

The controversy began on August 22, 2026, when a blogger posted a video showing workers at a cabbage procurement site in Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou, dipping the root ends of cabbages into a container labeled "formaldehyde solution" before loading them onto trucks. A person at the scene stated in the video that the treatment could keep the vegetables fresh for an additional two to three days, a practice described as common for long-distance transport. The blogger claimed the shipment was destined for a farmers market in Suqian, Jiangsu province.

Following the video's rapid spread on social media, the Kangbao County government confirmed the allegations were true, identifying the act as an illegal use of formaldehyde to maintain freshness during...