"I used to love bamboo shoots in Malatang, what should I do?"... 'Horror' at video of Chinese factory

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"I used to love bamboo shoots in Malatang, what should I do?"... 'Horror' at video of Chinese factory
n.news.naver.com
Following the distribution of cabbage treated with formaldehyde in China, food safety controversies are spreading as it has been revealed that bamboo shoots fumigated with sulfur are now being produced. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea has also decided to strengthen customs inspections for Chinese bamboo shoots.
Following the distribution of cabbage treated with formaldehyde in China, food safety controversies are spreading as it has been revealed that bamboo shoots fumigated with sulfur are now being produced. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea has also decided to strengthen customs inspections for Chinese bamboo shoots.
According to the China Haibao News on the 21st, a blogger recently released a video showing bamboo shoots being fumigated with sulfur at a factory in Guangdong Province.
The blogger claimed that the factory used sulfur fumigation to reduce processing time and increase shelf life. They also stated that residual sulfur dioxide exceeding the standard limit was detected in the bamboo shoots.
As the video spread online, local authorities also launched an investigation. The Guangdong Provincial Market Supervision and Administration Bureau announced that the investigation confirmed the contents of the video were true and has initiated legal action against those responsible.
Local media reported that while it normally takes several days to pickle and process bamboo shoots in a standard manner, the process can be completed in just one day using sulfur fumigation. It is reported that some companies have been using this method to reduce costs and time.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated, "Chinese bamboo shoots are not imported into the country in the form of raw agricultural products." However, they explained, "Since some Chinese bamboo shoots are imported in the form of processed foods such as canned goods, we have decided to conduct additional inspections per manufacturer for a certain period, in addition to the existing detailed sulfur dioxide inspections conducted during the customs clearance stage."
While sulfur dioxide is not classified as a carcinogen, exposure to large amounts can irritate the respiratory and digestive tracts. It is reported that while natural drying or pickling usually takes several days, processing can be completed in a single day through sulfur fumigation.