Me and my husband was at Kepong's Sri Sinar ( Kuala Lumpur ) pasar malam last Saturday, saw this stall selling a "hybrid fruit" of guava & green apple. The seller (an innocent looking auntie) was also kind enough to let us sample the fruit. The fruit are sold in two types of packing, pack of 2 or pack of 3. The pack of 2 was sold at RM6, while pack of 3 at RM7.

 

The packaging is printed in foreign language (I believe is Thai) with a few graphical image on some fruits. After tasting the sample (which is actually quite tasty, just like guava), we decided to buy 2 x pack of 3 at RM13. When we got home, to our surprise, the fruit is actually peeled guava (the seeded type) shaped to resemble an apple and coated with green colouring.

Some of colouring came off after being washed. Not knowing what kind of colouring they use, we didn't dare to eat it even though the colour only soaked through the outer layer. My brother (who didn't go to the pasar malam with me) told me that he saw this article on a local Chinese newspaper and apparently knew about this trick.

He also indicated that these conman has been setting up stalls along highway, targeting at tourists. I hope this message can reach as many people as possible, money is not a big issue here but what if the colouring is poisonous? Especially with so many contaminated foods sold around Asia recently, I think we, as a consumer should be doubly beware on what we buy, let alone eat!!!

Spread the message across.

Take care!

Note : Accroding to a test done by Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) indicated that  the artificial colouring used were Brilliant Blue and Tartrazine to give the green colour and Carmoisine to give the red colour. Although the colouring substances were permitted by the Food Act 1983, the question is why should fresh fruits be coloured and modified and the public fooled into believing that the fruit was a natural  hybrid?

In a recent study in  teh United Kingdom, Tartrazine and Carmoisine were found by food experts to have a link to behaviour problems such as temper tantrums, poor concentration and hyperactivity and to allergic reactions to youngsters. The Food Standards Agency in the UK hs been considering the safety of these additives since 2000.