Formaldehyde and soju?!
Answers: I've been told serveral times that there is Formaldehyde (a chemical in the embalming process, to preserve dead bodies) in the Korean drink Soju. Is this true or just hokus-pocus? And don't forget to include your sources of facts.
When in Korea and buying soju you usually pour off the top inch or so of the bottle. That's because the distillation processes over there can be suspect and formaldehyde is supposed to be a byproduct of the distillation process. That's what I was told several times while over there.
From what I understand the soju that you buy in the US has better quality control.
The main ingredient for the brand soju is potato, almost always in combination with other ingredients such as wheat, barley, sweet potato, or tapioca (called dangmil in Korean). Soju is clear in color and typically varies in alcohol content from about 20% to about 45% alcohol by volume (ABV), with 20% ABV being most common. Its taste is comparable to vodka, though it is often slightly sweeter due to the addition of sugar in the manufacturing process.