Those who have been worried about formaldehyde in their cabbages can rest assured for now, as the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has found no evidence of contamination in produce imported from China so far.
In an update to AsiaOne on Friday (Sept 4), the agency said it had tested imports of cabbages and other vegetables from China as part of its stepped-up surveillance, following reports of cabbages from Hebei, China being treated with formalin, a formaldehyde solution.
No evidence of formalin contamination in the produce tested has been found.
“SFA has in place a food sampling and testing programme as part of its science-based risk management approach to ensure food products comply with Singapore’s Food Regulations,” the agency said.
“We will continue to conduct monitoring, sampling, and testing to ensure all food products sold, including vegetables from China, are safe for consumption.”
SFA added that consumers can follow food safety tips to consume vegetables safely, such as washing hands before and after handling vegetables and washing non-ready-to-eat vegetables thoroughly.
Concerns over the produce first emerged in late August after a Chinese environmental blogger posted a video of workers in Hebei appearing to dip cabbages into formaldehyde before loading them onto a truck bound for Jiangsu.
The video quickly went viral, drawing the attention of local authorities, who later confirmed the incidence.
In addition to heightened scrutiny within China, the case also prompted other countries in the region to step up checks on cabbage imports from China, including South Korea and Singapore.
On Aug 31, South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that the affected cabbages had not been exported to South Korea.
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