Taiwan confirms it already prohibits the import of fresh and frozen napa cabbage from China following reports that some traders use formaldehyde to coat the base of the cabbage to extend shelf life, and affirms there have been no imports this year.
On 25 August 2026, Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration announced that Taiwan has measures banning the import of fresh and frozen napa cabbage from China after reports that some farmers dipped cabbage into formaldehyde solutions to prolong shelf life, and confirmed no napa cabbage imports from China have been recorded this year.
Concerns about food safety from China arose after a Chinese influencer released a video showing farmers in a major napa cabbage producing area along the border between Hebei Province and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region dipping freshly harvested cabbage bases into a formaldehyde-containing solution to extend shelf life. Chinese authorities quickly investigated, confirmed the video’s authenticity, and local police have prosecuted those involved.
Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration stated that fresh and frozen napa cabbage from China is already on the list of prohibited imports, and automatic import monitoring systems show no records of napa cabbage imports from China between 1 January and 20 August 2026.
Formaldehyde is classified as a Group 1 human carcinogen and may be used in solutions such as formalin, raising widespread consumer safety concerns in this case, while China remains one of the world's largest exporters of napa cabbage.
Source: RTI