Clarifying the drama! Found residues in Shine Muscat grapes?

Drama! Shine Muscat grapes are dangerous? After a random inspection report claimed that chemical residues were found to exceed the standard. 'Asst. Prof. Jessada' and the FDA indicated that almost all of the test results passed. If you just wash them thoroughly, they are safe to eat. The agency that released this report is the Thai-PAN network, together with the Chalard Sue magazine, the Foundation for Consumers, randomly tested 24 samples of Shine Muscat grapes, priced from 100 - 699 baht per kilogram, all over Bangkok and its vicinity, from modern department stores, large wholesale markets, and even fruit stalls at the end of the alley. They found that 95.8% of them had residues of more than 50 types of agricultural chemicals exceeding the standard. And as soon as the random test results came out, fruit vendors across the country unanimously agreed that Shine Muscat grapes are not selling because consumers are afraid of the toxins that are harmful to the body. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jessada Denduangboripant, a lecturer at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, said that the test results have created concerns in terms of communication because they have led to misunderstandings and fears, to the point where they cannot be sold. They cannot be sold in stores either. And it is not just the Chinese strain, but also other strains from other countries. Assoc. Prof. Jessada explained that finding chemicals in fruits is normal because chemicals are used to prevent insects and fungi, but they must be used appropriately according to the standards. Therefore, there are standard values ??set by the codex. From the sample collection of that agency, more than 400 chemicals were tested and more than 30 types of chemicals were found to have residues. When looking at the test results of each sample, it was found that in fact, the amount of chemicals passed the specified standard criteria, meaning it did not exceed the shocking level. However, there were some chemicals that were not specified by the codex. Therefore, the researchers used the lowest criteria, 0.01 milligrams/kilogram, which is very little to the point of having almost no chemicals. However, looking at the table, it was found that all passed, with only 1 grape sample exceeding the level by only 0.3 milligrams. Therefore, it can be concluded that the results of the test for residues in Shine Muscat grapes that were released are considered low and within the standard. They can be eaten just by washing them thoroughly. However, the damage has now spread overnight. Thai people are now afraid of this grape. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) explained the issue of residues in Shine Muscat grapes, in line with Assoc. Prof. Jessada, that only one sample of Shine Muscat grapes was found to contain chlorpyrifos, which is prohibited by law. As for other residues, there are both groups that the law specifies as safe, but the test results do not exceed the specified safety criteria, and groups of pesticides that are not on the internationa l watch list because there is no information on their hazards. Consumers are asked not to panic. Shine Muscat grapes can be eaten, but they should be washed properly to reduce pesticide residues. In case of washing with plain water, soak in water for 15 minutes, then turn on running water, rub the grapes gently, and rinse with clean running water again for at least 30 seconds. In case of washing with sodium bicarbonate (baking powder/baking soda), mix 1 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate with 4 liters of clean water, soak the grapes for 15 minutes, then rinse with clean water. In case of washing with salt water, mix 1 tablespoon of salt with 2 liters of water, soak the grapes for 15 minutes, then rinse with clean water. Source: Thai News Agency