Although it's only the beginning of spring, many off-season fruits have already appeared in the market. A fruit vendor with many years of experience in the fruit business told a reporter that many off-season fruits are ripened and preserved with certain chemicals, and in this process, some off-season fruits have become "problem fruits".
Off-season fruits
This fruit vendor listed four common problem fruits for the reporter, warning consumers to be careful not to eat them by mistake. Strawberry
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 becomes fresher, but the fruit flavor becomes milder. Banana
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. Watermelon
The excessive use of ripening agents, expanders, and highly toxic pesticides can make 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. Grape
Some unscrupulous vendors and fruit growers use ripening agents—ethephon. Users dilute ethephon with water in a certain ratio, then dip immature green grapes into 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 should buy more seasonal fruits. Seasonal fruits ripen in the natural environment without the use of ripening agents, and do not require excessive preservatives during storage, making them relatively safer to eat.