Smuggled ginseng contaminated with hazardous agricultural chemicals are being circulated in the domestic market in large quantities, the Korea Food and Drugs Association (KFDA) affiliated with the Ministry of Health and Welfare disclosed yesterday.
According to KFDA officials, low-quality ginseng, smuggled in from China, have made inroads into the Kyongdong herbal medicine market in Chegi-dong in Seoul, which accounts for about 70 percent of the distribution of herbal medicine materials in the country.
They are also being sold at major ginseng growing localities disguised as home-grown products while being used as ingredients for processed ginseng products, the official said.
In an inspection recently conducted by the KFDA, nine processed ginseng products manufactured by five companies suspected of using smuggled ginseng were found to exceed the allowed amounts of BHC and quintozene by 18 times.
The use of BHC, an insecticide, and quintozene, a soil disinfectant and germicide, have been banned in the country in 1979 and 1987, respectively, due to their strong residual nature.
If consumed in great quantities, BHC can cause fatigue, nausea, unconsciousness, difficulty in breathing and edema of the lungs. Quintozene is also potentially harmful and can induce skin problems, asthma, seizure and conjunctivitis.
The inspection came amidst allegations that a number of processed ginseng product manufacturers have been using smuggled ginseng .
In a related inspection of samples of locally grown ginseng and smuggled ones, which have been seized at Kimpo International Airport and other customs areas, a large amount of BHC and quintozene were found in the latter.
The KFDA has requested both the Office of Customs Administration and the Ministry of Health and Welfare for tougher measures to crack down on the smuggling of ginseng . Ginseng , a sweet but bitter-tasting root, is celebrated as a cure-all in Asia for its superb medicinal qualities. A difficulllt crop to grow, ginseng sells for about 50,000 won ($60) per pound.
1997.04.18
|
Newsdesk