Although it's only the beginning of spring, off-season fruits have already appeared in the market. A fruit vendor who has been in the fruit business for many years told reporters that many off-season fruits are ripened and preserved with some chemicals, and in this process, some off-season fruits have become "problematic fruits".
Strawberries: Strawberries that are hollow in the middle, irregularly shaped, and excessively large are generally caused by excessive hormones. After using ripening agents or other hormonal drugs, the growth period of strawberries is shortened, the color becomes fresher, but the fruit flavor becomes milder.
Bananas: To make the banana skin 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.
Watermelon: The excessive use of ripening agents, expanders, and highly toxic pesticides can make watermelons poisonous. The stripes on the skin of such watermelons are uneven, the pulp inside is exceptionally bright after cutting, but the seeds are white, and there is an aftertaste in the mouth after eating.
Grapes: Some unscrupulous vendors and fruit growers use ripening agents—ethephon. Users dilute ethephon with water in a certain ratio, then immerse unripe green grapes in the diluted solution. After a day or two, the green grapes turn into purple grapes.
If possible, it is best to buy fewer off-season fruits and buy more seasonal fruits. Seasonal fruits ripen in a natural environment without the use of ripening agents and require fewer preservatives for storage, making them relatively safer to eat.