Nowadays, a wide variety of fruits are available even in winter. Especially for women who are on a diet, they will eat a fruit every day. However, some unscrupulous merchants are cutting corners by tampering with fruits, which can be harmful to your health. Everyone must be aware of the following 12 "toxic" fruits.
1, Peaches: Soaked in industrial citric acid
Honey peaches are soaked in industrial citric acid to make them look bright red and less likely to spoil. These chemical residues can damage the nervous system, trigger allergic diseases, and even cause cancer. Semi-crisp peaches are treated with alum, sweeteners, and alcohol to make them crispy and sweet. The main component of alum is aluminum sulfate, and long-term consumption can lead to bone hyperplasia, memory loss, dementia, decreased skin elasticity, and increased wrinkles. White peaches are fumigated with sulfur, leaving behind sulfur dioxide residues.
2, Mangoes: Ripened with quicklime
Unripe mangoes are ripened with quicklime to make their skins look golden yellow, but they lack the typical mango flavor and may contain excessive preservatives.
3, Pears: Ripened with growth hormones
Pears are ripened prematurely with expanders and growth hormones, then bleached and dyed with bleaching powder and colorants (like lemon yellow). Processed pears have little juice and a bland taste, sometimes accompanied by strange or rotten odors. These "toxic" pears spoil quickly.
4, Bananas: Ripened with ammonia
Ripened with ammonia or sulfur dioxide, these bananas have a bright yellow skin, but the flesh is firm and not sweet. Sulfur dioxide damages the human nervous system and can affect liver and kidney function.
5, Watermelons: Enlarged with expanding agents
Excessive use of ripening agents, expanding agents, and highly toxic pesticides. The stripes on the skin of such watermelons are uneven. When cut, the pulp may look fresh, the seeds are white, and there is an unusual odor.
6, Grapes: Turned purple with ethylene
Unripe green grapes are soaked in a diluted ethephon solution, and they turn purple in a day or two. These grapes have uneven color, low sugar content, and little flavor. Long-term consumption is harmful to human health.
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7, Persimmons: Ripened with yeast
Unripe persimmons are ripened with yeast or ripening agents, but their sweetness is greatly reduced. Some growers also apply a chemical called "a test spirit" to the stem to make it turn red. These chemical agents leave residues, making the persimmons toxic.
8, Jujubes: Dyed with chemicals
When soaked in hot water, even very green jujubes turn red immediately. Some vendors also dye them with chemical dyes and polish them with industrial wax, making them toxic.
9, Longans: Sprayed with sulfur to brighten color
They are sprayed with sulfuric acid or soaked in acidic solutions to make their color more vibrant. Sulfuric acid is highly corrosive and can burn the digestive tract. It can also easily cause colds, diarrhea, and severe coughing.
10, Lychees: Color-changed with sulfuric acid
Soaked in sulfuric acid solution or sprayed with ethephon solution to make discolored lychees bright and attractive, but they spoil easily. These acidic solutions can cause peeling of the hands, blisters in the mouth, and burns to the stomach and intestines. Some vendors also fumigate them with sulfur, and sulfur dioxide strongly irritates the eyes and throat, causing dizziness, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Sulfur dioxide is also carcinogenic.
11, Citrus fruits: Polished with industrial wax
Excessive use of preservatives during storage, "beautified" with colorants during sale, and polished with industrial wax. Industrial wax contains impurities such as lead, mercury, and arsenic, which can seep into the pulp, leading to symptoms like memory loss and anemia.
12, Apples: Color-enhanced with ripening agents
Enlarged with expanders, color-enhanced with ripening agents, and preserved with preservatives. Excessive use of these can damage the liver. Retail vendors also coat apples with industrial wax to retain moisture and make them look fresh and appealing.
Everyone must be very careful when buying fruits in the future to avoid buying fake ones!
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