Chinese Kimchi Contains 3 Times More Lead Than Kimchi
Made in Korea.
Half of the restaurants in Seoul and Gyeounggi serve Chinese Kimchi.
Research shows shocking results of heavy metal found in food, especially kimchi made by one particular Chinese company that contained five times more lead than kimchi made in Korea. Moreover, the research shows that one in two Korean restaurants serves Chinese kimchi to their customers.
On the 26th, Assemblyman Kyung Hwa Koh from the Health and Welfare Committee requested an inspection by the Institute of Health and Environment in Seoul of Chinese kimchi made by ten different companies. According to a heavy metal detection test, the average amount of lead contained in Chinese kimchi was 0.302 ppm (Lead in mg per kg), and was about 3 times higher than the average lead in Korean kimchi, 0.11ppm.
The maximum amount detected was found in Chinese "K" company with 0.57ppm, and a similar level was found in kimchi by "A" company with 0.51ppm.
There is not a heavy metal allowance limit on kimchi, but Assemblyman Koh worried that these amounts are considerably high since the limit on fruits, vegetables and drinks is 0.3 ppm. Moreover, the Korea Customs Service reported that the amount of kimchi imported from China is rapidly increasing.
Previous research done in August by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry also revealed that 50% of Korean restaurants use Chinese kimchi. The research excluded usage in small snack houses and in Korean-Japanese restaurants. Surprisingly, restaurants in Suh Cho-Gu, Seoul recorded the highest usage rate of 88.5 %
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 / 입력시간: 2005. 09.27. 08:36
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