In a report aired on Sunday, the broadcaster spoke to wolfberry farmers and merchants in a region spanning 14 towns in Jingyuan County, Gansu Province.
Sodium metabisulfite is sometimes used in food preservation but is prohibited in the local wolfberry industry, state media reported.
The practice had become so common that workers spoke of it as an industry standard, the outlet reported.
Since his early days as China's top leader, Xi Jinping has promised to crack down on food safety breaches, saying they're central to how people perceive the government.
Allegations of excessive sulfur fumigation in the Chinese traditional-medicine industry have surfaced before, leading retailers to often sell wolfberries and other products as "sulfite-free."
Persons:
—, wolfberries, That's, Xi Jinping
Organizations:
Service, Business, CCTV, Food, Committee, Beijing
Locations:
Jingyuan County, Gansu Province, Golmud, Qinghai Province, West, China, Jingyuan, —