Tuesday May 15, 2007
PENANG: Fake guava-apple hybrids are being sold openly at fruit stalls in Cameron Highlands.
Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president S.M. Mohamed Idris said the so-called hybrids posed a potential health threat to the people because of the use of artificial colouring.
Fruity concern: Mohamed Idris showing fruits that are supposed to be guava-apple hybrids in Penang yesterday. — Bernama
“It can also taint the country’s image because locals and tourists are fooled into thinking that it is a natural hybrid from Cameron Highlands. There is no such hybrid fruit in Cameron Highlands,” he told a press conference here yesterday.
Mohamed Idris said the fruits were being sold at RM10 per pair.
He said artificial colouring was used to fool the people into thinking that the guavas were jambu-apple hybrids.
He claimed that colouring agents brilliant blue and tartrazine were mixed for the light-green effect while carmoisine was used for red colouring.
Mohamed Idris said studies in Britain had linked tartrazine and carmoisine to temper tantrums, poor concentration, hyperactivity and allergic reaction in youngsters.
He said the Food Standards Agency in Britain had been reviewing the safety of such additives since 2000.
“Although the colouring substances are currently permitted under the (Malaysian) Food Act 1983, we need to question why fresh fruits are allowed to be coloured and modified?” he added.
Mohamed Idris said CAP had received complaints from foreign and local tourists who felt cheated after the fruits went bad within a day or two.
He said CAP wrote to the Cameron Highlands health office and the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry last week.
When contacted, farmers in Cameron Highlands said they were puzzled by claims that the fruits were being sold there.
Indian Farmers Association of Cameron Highlands president P. Viswanathan pointed out that guavas and jambu-apples were not even grown there.
“There is no such thing. If tourists are complaining about these fake hybrids, the Consumers Association of Penang should show proof,” he said.
Federation of Vegetable Farmers Association secretary Chay Ee Mong also said the claims were “news to him,” adding that the problem might have started from fruit hawkers, not the farmers. -- Bernama.
2 comments:
The look of these looks like something I have eaten in Thailand - however they are not marketed here as some special fruit hybrid to my knowledge, and I am curious if the above reports are just refering to some confused tourists unable to communicate properly with vendors - anyway, what I had looked just like in this picture and appeared to be guave, peeled and soaked in syrup and coloring - it is a sweet treat sold ready to eat, not a piece of produce you find in the market. It may have some kind of sugar coating as well - but it is obvioulsy not a natural fruit. I don't know how anyone who has tried it would think it to be a natural fruit.
It is still being sold at the market in Cameron Highlands. Just bought 3 packs. I was curious and searched the Internet on this fruit and found so many other sites talking about this same thing. Yes, it is so sweet, so much it tastes like it has saccharin. Date 18th June 2010.
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