A formaldehyde-treated napa cabbage scandal in China is raising concerns about kimchi’s growing popularity in the United States. The article says there is no evidence that affected cabbage or kimchi has reached the U.S. South Korea has tightened inspections of cabbage imported from China and is checking whether any linked produce entered the country. The controversy may create an image problem for kimchi as its supply chain becomes more global.
Jongga kimchi is displayed for sale at a Costco store. Captured from Costco Guide Instagram
SEATTLE — A food safety scandal involving formaldehyde-treated napa cabbage in China is raising a new question for kimchi’s fast-growing presence in the United States: Could the controversy hurt American consumers’ appetite for the Korean staple?
Chinese authorities recently confirmed that napa cabbages were illegally soaked in a solution containing formaldehyde, a chemical classified as a human carcinogen, to keep them fresh during transportation, prompting an investigation and efforts to trace where the affected produce was distributed.
The case quickly raised concerns about kimchi, whose main ingredient is typically napa cabbage.
