Society

Sichuan pepper dyed

By Zhou Wenting (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-05-17 09:24

BEIJING - Sichuan peppers that release a red dye when soaked in water were recently found in some markets in Beijing.

A local resident, surnamed An, bought some Sichuan peppers from a market in Chaoyang district that turned the water red when she washed them.

Following up on such reports, the district's industry and commerce authority inspected the market on April 28. An official said they cannot determine the dye and advised residents not to buy the peppers. They have sent samples for tests and will announce the results.

Some vendors in Shandong province reportedly purchase low-quality pepper seeds from farmers, preserve them in salt and then dye them. They then sell the dyed seeds to dealers nationwide, who will then mix them with normal seeds and sell them to retailers.