Although it is only the beginning of spring, many off-season fruits have already appeared on the market. A fruit vendor who has been in the fruit business for many years told a reporter that many off-season fruits are ripened and preserved with some chemical substances, and in this process, some off-season fruits have become "problem fruits".
This fruit vendor listed four common types of problem fruits for the reporter, warning consumers not to eat them by mistake.
Strawberries: Strawberries that are hollow in the middle, irregularly shaped, and overly large are generally caused by excessive hormones. After using ripening agents or other hormonal drugs, the growth period of strawberries is shortened, the color is fresher, but the fruit flavor becomes milder.
Bananas: In order to make the banana peel tender, yellow, and attractive, some unscrupulous vendors use sulfur dioxide to ripen them, but the flesh is still hard and not sweet at all. Sulfur dioxide is harmful to the human body. [Chinese Cuisine]
Watermelon: The excessive use of ripening agents, expanders, and highly toxic pesticides makes watermelons toxic. The stripes on the skin of such watermelons are uneven, the pulp inside is exceptionally bright after being cut, but the seeds are white, and there is an aftertaste in the mouth after eating.
Grapes: Some unscrupulous vendors and growers use ripening agents—ethephon. Users dilute ethephon with water according to a certain ratio, then soak immature green grapes in the diluted solution. After a day or two, the green grapes turn into purple grapes.
This fruit vendor warned consumers that if possible, it is best to buy fewer off-season fruits and buy more seasonal fruits instead. Seasonal fruits ripen in a natural environment, do not require ripening agents, and do not require excessive preservatives during storage, making them relatively safer to eat.