During the Yangmei peak season, which is currently underway, concerns have been raised about food safety as more than ten Yangmei procurement points in Zhangzhou, Fujian, the main production area of Yangmei, have been found to be using unapproved sweeteners and preservatives to soak the fruit.
According to a report by Fujian TV on May 15th, Fugong Town and Baishui Town in Longhai District, Zhangzhou, are the two major Yangmei producing areas in the region, with Fugong Town being known as the “Number One Town of Yangmei in Fujian”. However, a visit by reporters to more than ten Yangmei procurement and wholesale points revealed that soaking Yangmei in chemical solutions has become a common practice in the industry.
At one Yangmei wholesale point, workers were seen putting entire baskets of Yangmei directly into a mixture of chemicals, soaking them briefly, then draining and packaging them without any hygiene protection or dosage control throughout the process. Two substances were added to this liquid – one labeled as a compound sweetener claiming to be 8000 times sweeter than sugar, and the other being sodium dehydroacetate used for preservation. The packaging of the sweetener lacks ingredient information, production date, and quality certification, making it a typical “three-no product”.
A vendor commented that adding these chemicals makes the sour Yangmei taste sweet, improving its appearance and making it more popular. However, laborers nearby expressed their reluctance to consume the chemically treated Yangmei out of fear of potential health risks.
The situation of additive abuse is even more severe in another major Yangmei producing area, Fugong Town. Vendors were seen casually pouring sweeteners into the water used to soak the Yangmei, with no standardized dosage control in place.
Many wholesalers have explained that Yangmei itself is delicate and can spoil within two days at room temperature. Additionally, early ripening Yangmei tends to be sour, making it difficult to sell. Therefore, almost all procurement points resort to using chemical soakings, as one vendor mentioned, “Everyone does it, if you don’t, you won’t be able to sell.”
Furthermore, these vendors have already found ways to circumvent regulatory checks. One vendor revealed, “Keep some non-soaked Yangmei on hand. If the regulatory authorities come to inspect, just show them the non-soaked ones.”
An investigation showed that more than ten Yangmei procurement points in the area were violating regulations by using additives. Daily shipments of Yangmei from these points can reach thousands of catties, and during the peak season, it can exceed five thousand catties. These chemically treated Yangmei are transported via cold chain to wholesale markets in provinces like Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Guangdong.
Experts have warned that the “three-no” compound sweeteners have unknown ingredients, possibly containing excessive amounts of sodium cyclamate and saccharin. Prolonged intake of such substances can lead to discomfort in the nervous system, manifesting as dizziness, headaches, fatigue, and memory decline. Moreover, it can also worsen the metabolic burden on the liver and kidneys, potentially causing chronic organ damage.