"When Sweat Mixes, What Will Happen?"... 'Naked Cabbage' Ingredient Controversy in China, Now 'Barefoot Mixed Grains' Debate

At a Large Market in Guangdong, Barefoot Mixing of Grains
"Foreign Substances May Be Mixed In," "Unsanitary," Netizens Express Concerns
Earlier, Hygiene Controversy Over Food Ingredients Following Spread of 'Naked Cabbage' Videos

On the 3rd (local time), a so-called 'Barefoot Mixed Grains' video was uploaded to a Chinese YouTube channel. / Photo by Internet Homepage Capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] Following the spread of the so-called 'naked cabbage' video that sparked a hygiene controversy over Chinese ingredients, a new video showing a Chinese person mixing grains barefoot has surfaced, causing an expected uproar.

On the 3rd (local time), a video was posted on a Chinese YouTube channel showing a worker mixing grains at a large market in Guangdong. In the video, a man walks barefoot among scattered grains on the floor, stirring the grains with his feet. During this process, some grains are stepped on by the soles of his feet. The grains mixed by the worker in the video are said to be ingredients for the Chinese dish 'Palbojuk' (Eight Treasure Porridge).

A worker scattering grain on the ground and walking through it while stirring. / Photo by Internet Homepage

As the video spread across online communities and social networking services (SNS), concerns grew among netizens that it looked 'unsanitary.' One netizen pointed out, "Workers working under the sun might have sweated or dropped other foreign substances while walking around," adding, "Honestly, it doesn't look hygienic."

Another netizen criticized, "How can anyone eat food made with such ingredients? It's mocking consumers."

The so-called 'Naked Cabbage' video, which spread on online communities last month and sparked controversy. / Photo by Internet homepage capture

Amid growing controversy, this is not the first time hygiene concerns over Chinese ingredients have arisen. On the 7th of last month, a 'naked cabbage' video circulated, sparking a hygiene controversy over Chinese cabbage.

The video showed a huge pit lined with plastic filled with brine and cabbage, which was being pickled using rusty excavators. During this process, a shirtless man entered the pit and stirred the cabbages directly.

Netizens who saw the video at the time criticized it, saying, "It's horrifying. Are we going to eat this and die?" and "It looks dirty."

In fact, the method of filling a large pit with brine and pickling cabbage inside it has reportedly been carried out several times in China in the past. According to Chinese local media such as 'Bandoshinbo,' in 2014, dozens of tons of cabbage were found fermenting in a pit in the suburbs of Northeast China, which was discovered by Chinese authorities.

However, this pit burial method of pickling cabbage is illegal and banned locally. Since June 2019, Chinese authorities have prohibited this pickling method in the Northeast region, stating that "excessive amounts of sodium nitrite (nitrites) and preservatives seriously threaten public health."

In addition, there have been reports of cases such as unripe tangerines being dyed red to appear ripe, and green-blue dyes being applied to green onions, which have also sparked controversy.