Consumers can test vegetables for formalin by smelling their leaves or breaking their stems and smelling them. If they have a strong smell and cause irritation, consumers should not buy them. Meat with a strong smell should not be bought either,” said Dr Porntep.
He said consumers can remove formalin from vegetables by rinsing them for 5-10 minutes under running water or placing them for one hour in still water. Health officials are testing samples of foods nationwide to check for hazardous contamination. Cancer continues to be the most common cause of death among Thai people and consumption of hazardous foods is one cause.