[단독] Calcium chloride in seaweed to make it domestically produced… Ottogi is an apple

◀ Anchor ▶

Ottogi announced an apology and decided to voluntarily collect the product in connection with the suspicion that a company that supplies seaweed from Ottogi has tricked and delivered seaweed from China as made in Korea.

On the other hand, the supplier firmly denies the allegations.

Despite the suspicion that the seaweed was treated with chemicals, there is no problem because it is edible.

Reporter Jo Hee-won reports.

◀ Report ▶

‘A company that delivered Chinese seaweed to Ottogi washed seaweed with chemicals.’

This is a rumor that has been around the industry for a long time.

It means that the fuzzy Chinese seaweed was treated with medicine to make it look’harder and plump’.

[제보자]

“It’s because Chinese seaweed spreads a lot. When calcium chloride is added, it hardens. (Spread seaweed) Even if you put it on the general market, middle-aged merchants say,’It spreads, so I can’t use.

This is the document secured by MBC.

On December 12, 2019, a supplier bought 1,000 kilograms of calcium chloride for 580,000 won from a chemical company in Yeongam, Jeollanam-do.

The investigation by the Coast Guard also confirmed that 93 tons of calcium chloride have been purchased over the past 10 years.

The investigation result is that the powdered calcium chloride was dissolved in water, and then the Chinese seaweed was washed and dried, and delivered to Ottogi.

Looking at the account details secured by MBC, it was confirmed that in 2011, for a quantity of 100 million won, the supplier sent 220 million won to the supplier, and then the executive of the supplier received 67 million won in personal account.]

The Haekyung said that the slush funds collected in this way have been confirmed to be around 10 billion won.

Regarding this suspicion, the supplier said in a call with MBC that “The investigation of the Coast Guard started due to false reports from competitors, and there was no search for seizure by the Coast Police.

In addition, he said, “There is no fact that seaweed from China was imported,” and “Calcium chloride is not harmful and can be used for food cleaning.”

Meanwhile, in an apology today, Ottogi acknowledged that the supplier is being investigated and said that the product is voluntarily retrieved to relieve customers’ anxiety, although there is no clear fact.

In addition, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it was in discussion with the Coast Guard to investigate whether Ottogi seaweed was treated with calcium chloride.

This is Heewon Cho at MBC News.

(Video coverage: Park Chan-ho/Yeosu)

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