Fujian Bayberry Chemical Scandal: 5 Detained, 540 kg of Contaminated Fruit Recovered
Chinese authorities in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, have filed 12 administrative cases and criminally detained 5 individuals following the exposure of a widespread practice of soaking fresh bayberries in illegal chemical solutions, according to an official notice released on May 20 by the Zhangzhou Food Safety Committee Office, as reported by Xinhua News. The crackdown has recovered 540 kilograms of contaminated fruit and seized 20.1 kilograms of prohibited additives.
Background: The Investigation
The scandal broke on May 15, 2026, when Fujian TV affiliate First Help Group published an undercover investigation revealing that purchasing stations in Fugong and Baishui towns — part of the Longhai District in Zhangzhou — were systematically soaking bayberries in chemical solutions containing sodium dehydroacetate, a preservative banned for use in fresh fruit under China’s GB2760-2024 National Food Safety Standard, along with unlabeled “three-no” sweeteners boasting sweetness up to 8,000 times that of sucrose.
Enforcement Actions
According to CCTV News, authorities immediately activated an emergency response upon the report’s publication, forming a multi-department task force that identified five involved purchasing stations. Initial enforcement on May 15 seized 225 kilograms of contaminated bayberries and a batch of illegal additives. By May 20, the operation had expanded to recover a total of 540 kilograms of tainted fruit and 20.1 kilograms of illegal additives, all of which have been destroyed.
A 45-day special rectification campaign was launched on May 15, covering the entire bayberry harvest and sales period. Authorities have deployed officials to oversee all purchasing stations and implemented strict new measures including mandatory testing before sale, compliance certification, outbound reporting requirements, and a “blacklist” system for purchasing station operators. Between May 16 and May 20, 639 batches of bayberries were tested, all of which passed inspection.
The Chemicals and Health Risks
Medical experts have warned that the illegal additives used pose serious health risks. According to consumer advisories cited by the 21st Century Business Herald, these chemicals “can damage nerves, liver, and kidneys, with particularly significant effects on adolescent neurological development.” The “three-no” sweetener — a product with no manufacturer name, no production date, and no ingredients list — contained sweetening agents restricted to processed foods only and banned for fresh fruit.
Industry Practices and Market Pressure
Undercover footage from the investigation captured workers at purchasing stations admitting they would not eat the treated fruit themselves, with one stating, “We ourselves wouldn’t eat it.” A station operator explained the market pressure driving the practice: “People from Zhejiang have a sweet tooth, they all want this kind [sweetened].”
Alarmingly, investigators found that operators had developed a systematic method to evade regulatory oversight. They would prepare several boxes of untreated bayberries marked for inspection, submitting only these “clean samples” when regulators came to test, as reported by Blue Whale Finance.
Economic Fallout
The scandal has triggered severe economic disruption across China’s bayberry industry. In Longhai, bayberry prices collapsed to as low as 2 RMB per jin (approximately $0.28 USD per pound). In Jinan, Shandong Province, a fruit merchant told local media: “Nobody’s eating bayberries lately, I’ve switched to selling lychees instead.” Sales in the city nearly ground to a halt.
E-commerce platforms began proactively refunding customers for “Fugong bayberry” purchases, citing illegal sales. Live-stream sellers were forced to display testing certificates, and some hung “no chemicals” signs to reassure consumers. Zhejiang wholesale markets increased testing frequency to two to three times daily.
A 700-Year Heritage Brand at Risk
Fugong Bayberry has been cultivated in the Longhai area for over 700 years and was awarded National Geographical Indication Protection Product status in 2010. The scandal has severely damaged this heritage brand. Unlike the decentralized purchasing station model in Fujian, Zhejiang bayberry farmers reported strict industry association controls with unified spraying schedules and severe penalties for violations.
Analysis and Outlook
The incident highlights systemic weaknesses in China’s fresh fruit supply chain, where middleman-dominated distribution systems lack the capital or incentive to invest in modern cold-chain preservation technology — a method that can keep bayberries fresh for three to five days without chemical additives. The case also follows closely on the heels of the “Toxic Strawberry” scandal earlier in spring 2026, underscoring persistent food safety challenges.
Criminal cases have been filed against the five detained individuals, though charges and trial dates have not yet been announced. The Zhangzhou authorities have stated that the 45-day rectification campaign will continue through the remainder of the harvest season, with ongoing monitoring and enforcement to prevent further violations.