Jiangnan market inspections in Guangzhou find no trace of tainted produce

Spot checks of more than 255 metric tons of Chinese cabbage at Guangzhou's Jiangnan Fruit & Vegetable Wholesale Market have found no trace of tainted produce linked to a formaldehyde contamination incident in Hebei province, authorities said, indicating that vegetable supplies in the Guangdong provincial capital of 17 million remain safe.

The inspections followed reports that cabbage buyers in Kangbao county, Hebei, had used formaldehyde solution to preserve produce during transportation. China's food safety authorities ordered nationwide inspections of perishable vegetables on Sunday in response.

At the Jiangnan market, authorities have launched frequent sampling inspections across all Chinese cabbage on sale, while market management has ordered all stalls to refuse purchases from Kangbao county sources. All cabbage entering the market must now have purchase vouchers, transport documents, and origin compliance certificates uploaded to the market's traceability system, according to a Nanfang Daily report.

Authorities said inspections would continue in the days ahead.

Jiangnan Fruit & Vegetable Wholesale Market, located on Zhengzha Road in Guangzhou's Baiyun district, covers more than 400,000 square meters and is one of the largest specialized wholesale markets for fruit and vegetables in China.