Qinghai and Gansu respond to the "toxic goji berries" incident, with lawyers stating that a tenfold compensation must be borne.

Part of the merchants in Golmud City, Haixi Prefecture of Qinghai Province, and Jingyuan County, Baiyin City of Gansu Province, have been using sodium metabisulfite and sulfur to process Goji berries to enhance their appearance and price. This practice has drawn public attention, prompting swift responses from the local governments of both regions, which have established investigation teams, with police involvement. Lawyers point out that the implicated parties are suspected of producing and selling toxic and harmful food, and are required to bear punitive damages ten times the amount. Experts warn that long-term consumption of such Goji berries may lead to poisoning.

Sodium metabisulfite, a chemical substance, is commonly used in food processing as a preservative and bleaching agent, but excessive use is harmful to human health. Sulfur fumigation is a traditional method of food processing, but the use of industrial sulfur may introduce harmful substances.

This incident not only violates the criminal law but also breaches the "Regulations on Promoting the Development of Goji Berry Industry in Haixi Mongolian and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture," which explicitly prohibits the use of sodium metabisulfite and its substitutes in Goji berry processing.

The public's concern over food safety has been reignited, calling for severe punishment of the involved parties. Food safety issues cannot be overlooked and require continuous attention and enhanced regulation.