Chaos in Gansu Jingyuan Wolfberry Processing: 90% Merchants' Sulfur Exceeds Standards, Industrial Sulfur Becomes ‘Secret Weapon,’ May Cause Renal Failure!

On September 1, China Central Television's financial channel exposed the problem of "excessive sulfur" in the processing of goji berries in Jingyuan County, Gansu province. The report revealed that in order to pursue the "high-quality" appearance and higher market prices of goji berries, some merchants have adopted improper processing methods, including the use of sulfur fumigation. According to merchants, freshly picked goji berries need to be treated with sodium-alkali water to ensure a bright color after drying. However, once the rain weather, even after sodium treatment of wolfberries, its quality is difficult to guarantee, at this time merchants will take sulfur fumigation means. It is worth noting that some merchants use industrial sulfur in order to reduce costs, which is a serious violation of food safety regulations, because industrial sulfur contains toxic substances and large amounts of arsenic, and long-term consumption can cause kidney damage, multiple neuritis and liver dysfunction.

In several villages in Jingyuan County, the reporter found that "smoking sulfur" has become a common phenomenon, and merchants usually set up fumigation booths in the afternoon, fumigation in the evening, and drying in the next day. This kind of behavior is not uncommon in the area, even industrial sulfur is openly placed in the courtyard of the farmer, and smoking sheds can be seen in the street. When the reporter visited at night, he only opened a corner of the smoking shed and was attacked by a strong pungent smell, resulting in tears and breathing difficulties. These night smokehouses have become a disharmonious landscape in the village, and the smoking of goji berries seems to have become a common practice of local merchants during the harvest season.

In this regard, the Jingyuan County Food Safety Commission office issued a notice on September 2, pointing out that on the evening of September 1, the media exposed the illegal production and processing problems in the production area of wolfvine, involving some farmers in Jingyuan County. After the broadcast of the program, the county Party committee and the county government immediately took action to attach great importance to the matter, and quickly established a joint investigation team to comprehensively investigate the related problems of the cultivation and processing of wolfberry, and will severely punish those responsible for violations in accordance with the law. At the same time, in order to draw a conclusion, the county will carry out a special investigation of the production, processing and sales of wolfberry problems to ensure food safety, and the results of the investigation and disposal will be announced to the society in a timely manner to protect the people's dietary health and life safety.