The Genius of China

Mushrooms bleached by poisonous chemicals to make them look fresh
thestar.com.my

Mushrooms in Shaanxi are being bleached to make them look fresh. These toxic chemicals could cause kidney failure and even death when ingested.

Xi'an -- Mushrooms whitened by poisonous chemicals are the latest food scare out of China.
Suppliers in Shaanxi, the capital of Xi'an in north-western China, used strong chemical additives to bleach mushrooms so that they would appear fresh, Chinese reports said.
Undercover reporters found that the mushrooms were being soaked in a milky-white liquid with a pungent smell.
Local media said the liquid comprised chlorinating agents, anhydrous calcium chloride, sodium sulfite and other chemical additives and preservatives.
The toxic chemicals could cause kidney failure and even death when ingested, the reports said.
After bleaching the mushrooms, the merchants even added some soil so that they looked more "natural".