China Food Scandal: Fake Beef Loses Color, Rubber-Like Rice, Dyed Vegetables

A Chinese blogger bought beef online that did not change shape or color even after being boiled for half an hour. The cooking water turned red. He said it was clearly fake beef and questioned what it was actually made from. A passenger on a Chinese high-speed train said the boxed meal he bought had an unusual texture. The rice grains were like rubber bands, leaving him afraid to eat it. He jokingly asked, what kind of high-tech product is this? Food safety problems in China continue to emerge one after another. On September 5th, a blogger named Zhang posted a video on social media, claiming that many vegetable warehouses in Gansu Province were dying their lettuce stems. The video showed several farmers or vendors working on site. They took bundles of lettuce stems and soaked them in a dark green liquid before removing them. Public information shows that Yuzhong County in Gansu Province is a major vegetable growing and distribution area. In 2020, the county had nearly 55,000 acres of vegetable farmland, with total production reaching 690,000 tons. It has been designated a national demonstration base for pollution-free vegetable production. The blogger shared testing reports and said samples of the soaking liquid were collected from three different vegetable houses. Tests found the presence of Brilliant Blue and Tartrazine. Although both substances are approved food additives, they are not allowed to be used in vegetable processing. The vendors' actions may constitute illegal use beyond permitted limits. The blogger said he visited 13 vegetable warehouses in areas including Dingyuan Town and Dalian Town in Yuzhong County. He found that more than half of the warehouses had farmers using unidentified liquids to soak lettuce stems. At one site, he found a bottle labeled Compound Food Additive, Compound Colorant. It had a green color, leading him to suspect that farmers were illegally using food coloring to enhance the appearance of vegetables. The blogger said these illegal practices mainly occurred at distribution centers after village-level purchasing agents collected the vegetables. Large quantities of lettuce stems are harvested by farmers, purchased collectively by agents, and then transported to distribution centers for preprocessing before being shipped across the country to major cities. The additive soaking process takes place at these distribution centers. Some locations even carried out the process outdoors, leaving green chemical residue on the ground. The soaked lettuce stems were then placed directly into cold storage. The blogger said vendors used liquids containing synthetic dyes such as Tartrazine and Brilliant Blue to soak lettuce stems, mainly to cover up yellowing and surface damage that occurred during harvest and storage. One user claimed that many people who dye lettuce stems do not even measure the amount of coloring used. They simply pour it in, soak the vegetables overnight, wash them, and send them directly into cold storage. The fresh lettuce stems you eat may have just been pulled out of a dye tank. Member of Shanghai Food Safety Research Association Liu Xiaowei told Chinese media that long-term consumption of Brilliant Blue and Tartrazine could potentially cause adverse reactions A staff member from the Yuzhong County Agricultural and Rural Affairs Bureau said authorities had launched on-site inspections. The official said that aside from the coloring agents, no toxic or harmful substances such as heavy metals or formaldehyde were detected in the affected lettuce stems. The staff member also said the coloring could be removed through repeated washing. One user criticized the situation, saying from formaldehyde-treated cabbage to industrial copper sulfate-treated green onions and now the dyed lettuce stems in Yuzhong, the methods used have never changed, every time it is independent bloggers using hidden cameras to expose the problem. Only after public outrage erupts do authorities rush in to conduct inspections. On September 5, the Yuzhong County government in Gansu issued a statement saying they had They found that six businesses had illegally used food additives when purchasing lettuce stems, and all six cases have been opened for investigation. However, many users questioned whether only six businesses were involved. One commenter said, If more than half of the 13 warehouses were soaking vegetables, this was not just one vendor making a mistake, it's being done on a large scale. Another person suggested that the other 47 businesses may have hidden the problematic vegetables after receiving advance notice. Meanwhile, Kurchin Beef, a major beef company in Inner Mongolia, recently faced controversy after its beef rolls were found to contain added guar gum. On August 28, the Sutran Provincial Administration for Market Regulation released inspection results showing that a batch of original cut beef rolls produced by Kurchin tested positive for guar gum in both initial testing and follow-up testing. The product was classified as non-compliant. Guar gum is a food thickener used to increase viscosity, retain moisture, and improve texture. It can be used in some processed meat products. However, original cut meat is generally not expected to contain such additives. Data shows that consuming large amounts of guar gum may cause bloating, diarrhea, or digestive discomfort. Under special circumstances involving extremely high doses and insufficient water intake, it may also increase the risk of blockage in the esophagus or intestines. Kurchin Beef was once selected as a beef supplier for the Beijing Olympics and the Guangzhou Asian Games. As a leading company in China's beef cattle industry, the company's involvement in a food safety controversy has further damaged consumer trust in fresh meat labeling. Chinese-made gummy candies have also been accused of containing large amounts of carrageenan. If you have children at home, you need to watch this video until the end. Does a child often buy and eat this kind of gummy candy? Today, we're going to do a small experiment right here. Let's heat it with fire and take a close look. See that? After melting at high temperatures, it becomes extremely sticky. It sticks to your fingers so strong that you have to use force to pull them apart. This type of candy contains large amounts of carrageenan and artificial coloring. If children eat it frequently over a long period of time, it can easily lead to digestive problems and increase the burden on the liver and kidneys. Do not regularly buy this kind of snack for your children. Share this video with friends who have kids. Information shows that carrageenan is a natural hydrophilic polysaccharide extracted from red seaweed. It is widely used in food products as a thickener, stabilizer, and gelling agent. However, excessive intake may not be good for children. Since children's digestive systems are not fully developed, consuming large amounts may cause bloating, diarrhea, indigestion, or constipation. One user said that based on the video, the amount of carrageenan may have been excessive. The user blamed poor government regulation, saying that without proper oversight, manufacturers would end up harming consumers. Recently, another high-profile toxic cabbage scandal occurred in China. In August, businesses in Hebei province were found using formaldehyde solution to preserve cabbage during the purchasing process. A blogger tracked and investigated a well-known vegetable production area in Hebei and randomly observed cabbage collection operations. The blogger found that before being loaded onto trucks, Chinese cabbages were dipped in formaldehyde solution for preservation. After the incident was exposed, it attracted widespread public attention, while several countries importing Chinese cabbages became concerned. Formaldehyde is an industrial chemical. The World Health Organization has classified it as a Group 1 carcinogen, and it is strictly prohibited for use in food processing. Blogger Cui Chenghao posted videos showing cabbage harvesting and handling processes in Japan and the United States. He wrote that Japan and the United States do not need to use formaldehyde dipping methods. He said this is because people there have stronger ethics, regulations are more effective, and most importantly, government officials don't enjoy a special supply food system. He argued that only when privileged groups and ordinary citizens eat the same food can food safety truly be addressed at its root. He noted that this could reduce health care and social welfare costs while increasing hospital revenue, asking why anyone would not support such a solution. Besides cabbage, media reports said four other categories of food were also major areas where illegal formaldehyde use occurs. They include animal organs, spicy chicken feet, seafood such as hairtail fish and silverfish, as well as dry foods like starch noodles and dry tofu sheets. Videos also continue to circulate online, claiming that Chinese workers use chemical solutions to preserve fruit. Everyone, take a close look. Workers are putting freshly harvested dragon fruit into water and rolling it around repeatedly. After the fruit is fully soaked, it is boxed and packaged. Then, baskets of fresh oranges are also placed into the water and quickly taken out. In a workshop in Maoming, Guangdong province, workers are seen putting lychees into water tanks to soak. One user reacted with concern. Are they soaking them in chemicals? One user said, any type of food could potentially have safety issues when the cost of breaking the law is so low and regulation is so weak when people don't fake or tamper with products. Another user said, it suddenly made me realize the importance of religious belief. People who believe in divine punishment fear consequences and would not act so recklessly or commit such harmful acts. Currently, Chinese media reports on food safety issues usually point to failures in regulation and inadequate laws. However, many observers believe the deeper reason is that senior Chinese Communist Party officials have long enjoyed a special supply, completely separated from ordinary citizens. They rely on exclusive supplies, avoid public oversight, and maintain their privileges. Since they themselves do not face food safety concerns, they naturally lack the motivation to push for reform. Amid repeated food safety crises, China's top leaders have remained unaffected. This is because they have access to a completely separate supply system. The term CCP special supply refers to food, ingredients, and daily necessities specifically provided for senior officials from the CCP Central Committee, the State Council, and other privileged groups at both central and local levels. Authorities operate dedicated farms, livestock facilities, and fisheries around Beijing and other parts of China that are closed to the public. From farming and breeding to transportation and storage, the entire process is monitored by specialized departments. Testing standards are reportedly even higher than international standards. These products are often delivered through special channels and do not enter ordinary markets or mix with civilian food supply chains. In addition, the children's education system for China's elite extends from the central government to local levels, creating a complete privileged education network separated from ordinary citizens. The rice, flour, cooking oil, meat, milk, vegetables, and fruits come from specially managed farms and undergo multiple rounds of testing. Facilities such as playgrounds, gyms, music halls, drinking water systems, and tableware sanitation systems are far above average social standards. Many students come from high-level communist families and grow up inside a closed circle, separated from ordinary children. China Affairs commentator Yang Bo said that when illegal formaldehyde use in cabbage was exposed, Chinese state media had already reported in 2012 that such practices were common in the industry. He said that lettuce stem dyeing, guar gum added to beef, and using tanker trucks to transport cooking oil are among the many food safety issues exposed in recent years. According to Yang, these are not new problems, but long-standing ones that have been known for decades. He said the CCP's corrupt governance is the root cause. Yang explained that the CCP has long promoted atheism and discouraged belief in divine consequences or moral cause and effect, allowing people to commit wrongdoing without fear. Former Chinese leader Mao Zedong used political movements, such as the Cultural Revolution, to destroy traditional moral values. Deng Xiaoping launched economic reforms while suppressing the 1989 pro-democracy movement, causing many Chinese to withdraw from politics and focus mainly on making money. Jiang Zemin suppressed Falun Gong, a movement that promotes moral self-improvement and traditional values. Jiang governed through corruption, allowing people today to pursue wealth by any means necessary. The consequences of his rule continue today. Yang said that after current leader Xi Jinping came to power, he intensified political struggles and purges, causing many officials to become passive and widespread bureaucratic neglect to take hold. As a result, regulatory work in areas such as food safety have received even less attention. U.S.-based current affairs commentator Tang Jinyuan said the biggest reason China's food safety problems cannot be solved is the CCP's distorted GDP-only system, which causes local governments to prioritize protecting local interests over protecting consumers' health. He said that whether it was the official response to the formaldehyde-treated cabbage or previous incidents involving tainted milk powder, toxic rice and tainted oil, authorities have followed the same pattern. After public outrage grows, they quickly move to contain the situation and reduce attention. Eventually, major issues are minimized and smaller issues are dismissed. Tang said this happens because once a scandal grows too large, not only could local officials' careers be affected, but the CCP believes its own image of being great, glorious and correct could also be damaged. As a result, covering up and downplaying incidents has become an unspoken agreement from top to bottom. Tang Jinyuan also said that Chinese agricultural products have long been part of domestic and international supply chains. If food safety incidents to occur frequently, consumer confidence and overseas market trust in these products could be damaged. He said this is the result of the CCP's long-term tolerance of fraud and another example of China blocking its own path. He said when examples like this accumulate to a certain point, they will eventually cause China's special supply system does not only apply to government officials. Products supplied by Chinese factories to Hong Kong, Macau and overseas markets are generally of better quality than products sold domestically. This is mainly because these territories have stricter food safety standards and inspections. Chinese manufacturers are more cautious because they fear losing business if problems are discovered. However, because governments in other countries are responsible to their citizens and continue to raise inspection standards, Chinese products still face problems overseas from time to time. For example, in October 2024, the European Union's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed reported that Chinese exported egg products were found to contain excessive levels of the banned veterinary drug Enrefloxacin. Before the issue was detected, they had already been distributed to multiple European countries. After the discovery, countries involved returned the products. The incident attracted widespread attention in both domestic and international trade and food safety circles. Interestingly, even Russia, a close partner of the CCP, has refused to overlook food safety scandals involving Chinese products. In April this year, Russia reported that 22.4 tons of chicken imported from China were found during border inspection to contain excessive levels of oxytetracycline residues. The shipment failed to meet Russian food safety standards and was handled according to regulations. One user commented, If Russians don't eat it, just give it to the Chinese people, because anything that can be exported must be the best. Another said, Even Russia, a close friend, is rejecting it. However, because global supply chains have become deeply intertwined with the Chinese Communist Party's industrial network, food safety problems in China are now exposing risks to products produced in other countries. For example, since December 2025, multiple batches of infant formula containing arachnidonic acid oil were found to be contaminated with cerulide, a toxin produced by the bacterium Bacillus cereus. Cerulide can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The incident led international brands including Nestle, Danone, and Lactalis to carry out precautionary recalls in dozens of countries and regions worldwide. In France, the deaths of three infants were suspected to be linked to recalled infant formula products. According to the EU's official notices, the incident originated from arachnidonic acid oil, a key ingredient in infant formulas supplied by the Chinese company Cabio Biotech. The European Union has since imposed stricter border controls on imports of this ingredient. Commentator Wen Yong wrote on X that this was not simply a contamination incident, but a reflection on global supply chain security. He said that unless the world completely separates from and cuts ties with irresponsible suppliers, everyone could face threats to food safety. Wen said, do you think you can stay out of it, enjoying the view along the Seine? Then you're wrong. Various boomerangs are already flying through the air. Don't wait until one hits you before you realize the pain. Associate professor at the Department of Diplomacy and International Relations at Tamkang University in Taiwan, Chen Qingmo, told the media that the key issue lies in weak regulation and corruption in China's authoritarian system, combined with cost-cutting pressure from intense economic competition that undermines quality control. He said that repeated food safety incidents are not only a livelihood issue, but should also become an opportunity to push for supply chain restructuring. He called for the international community to build transparent democratic supply chains to reduce systemic risks.