Thailand inspection finds imported Shine Muscat grapes safe for consumption
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All imported Shine Muscat grapes have met food safety standards, according to the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA), responding to public concern about recent reports of chemical contamination.
The agency’s food and drug inspection division seized 6.93 tonnes of the grapes on Nov. 5 to run chemical residue tests, under its Hold Test Release protocol.
The fruit met all regulatory standards, so the FDA approved them for import and domestic sale, its deputy director-general Lertchai Lertvut said. gtraPublic concern arose last month when the Thailand Consumers’ Council reported that 23 out of 24 Shine Muscat grape samples it tested were found to contain hazardous chemical residues beyond the acceptable legal limit.
Some were contaminated with chlorpyrifos and endrin aldehyde, which are banned under Thai food safety laws.
Shine Muscat grapes are a variety originating from Japan that features a yellow-green hue, crisp flesh, no seeds, and delightful sweetness.
Questions & Answers
Q.What specifically caused public concern about the safety of Shine Muscat grapes?
What specifically caused public concern about the safety of Shine Muscat grapes?
Public concern arose last month after the Thailand Consumers’ Council reported that 23 out of 24 grape samples it tested contained hazardous chemical residues above the legal limit.
Q.Which specific banned chemicals were reportedly found in some of the grape samples?
Which specific banned chemicals were reportedly found in some of the grape samples?
Some samples were reportedly contaminated with chlorpyrifos and endrin aldehyde. These chemicals are explicitly banned under current Thai food safety laws.
Q.What was the total quantity of grapes inspected by the FDA in response to the public concern?
What was the total quantity of grapes inspected by the FDA in response to the public concern?
The FDA's food and drug inspection division seized 6.93 tonnes of the grapes. This quantity was taken for chemical residue tests on November 5.
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