Bangkok Post – Thai FDA urges action against contaminated grapes

The Thailand Consumer Council is urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take legal action against importers of Shine Muscat grapes after laboratory tests showed some samples were contaminated with chemicals banned in Thailand.

According to TCC 23 out of 24 Shine Muscat Grape Samples tested by the council last week were found to be contaminated with hazardous chemical residues exceeding the acceptable legal limit. Some were contaminated with chlorpyrifos and endrinaldehyde, which are banned under current food safety laws.

TCC Secretary General Saree Aongsomwang said on Sunday that the FDA should take legal action against importers who brought in the contaminated grapes. Products that have already been imported but are yet to be distributed should be thoroughly inspected and contaminated products destroyed.

Ms Saree called on grape importers to recall their products for a thorough inspection. She also called on the FDA to ban companies found to have knowingly imported contaminated grapes.

The TCC purchased the 24 samples from various places – two from online stores, seven from fruit shops and fresh markets and 15 samples from modern trade – on October 2 and 3 in Bangkok and surrounding provinces.

Laboratory tests found residues of 14 harmful chemicals in concentrations above the safety limit of 0.01 mg/kg. In total, the tests also detected 50 chemical legislation residues, 22 of which are not covered by current Thai legislation, such as triasulfuron, cyflumetofen, tetraconazole and fludioxonil.

FDA Secretary General Surachoke Tangwiwat clarified on Sunday that of the 50 chemical residues detected, 36 did not exceed the safety limit, while 14 are not on the watchlist due to a lack of information about their risks.

He urged consumers to wash fruits thoroughly before consuming them.

Dr. Surachoke emphasized the FDA’s commitment to ensuring consumer safety, saying imports found to be contaminated will be seized and legal action will be taken against importers.

Meanwhile, vendors at a market in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Muang district said after the news broke that consumers have avoided Shine Muscat grapes despite offering them at a 70% discount, causing many of them to pull them from the shelves.

Thaworn Prommee, 58, said half his stock has gone bad, despite it being the store’s bestseller before the news broke.

She added that business operators are suffering significant losses as a result.