As winter approaches, so does the high season for bean sprouts in many parts of China. But it also heralds a fresh round of safety scares.
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Using cancer-inducing additives to increase bean sprouts’ appeal to buyers has become an unwritten rule for processors.
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A raid on three underground workshops in the northern city of Tianjin earlier this month uncovered banned chemicals including growth stimulants, antibiotics, bleaching powder and preservatives used to whiten bean sprouts and keep them looking fresh.Â