Hyderabad: Chopped fresh fruits has many takers, but few know that certain fruits turn bad after a period even if preserved.
Himayatnagar resident Neeraj Kumar Agarwal ordered a pack of cut fruits from a famous online outlet and found the papaya and water melon had gone bad. Mr Agarwal told this newspaper that he had ordered a pack of cut fruits and sprouts from Big Basket on April 13. It was delivered the next day.
“To my surprise, the fruits — except for pineapple — were rotten. The figs had fungus on them. We returned it. The packing said expiry on April 18. I had also ordered sprouts which tasted bad,” Mr Agarwal said. He complained to the call centre and the only solution they could offer was to reimburse the cost.
When contacted, Big Basket floor supervisor R. Vinod said a department cross-checks the fruits. Packing is done a day before delivery and the expiry date is for four days. The pack is stored in the refrigerator. We will ensure that this does not repeat.”
But refrigeration just controls bacterial growth and the fruits need to be stored in the proper manner, experts said. In the case of fresh juices, if it has turned bad or sour the vendors adds extra sugar to camouflage the taste.
Dr Srinivasulu, assistant professor in zoology at the Osmania University, said one of the reasons might be contamination by bacteria. As temperatures, rise bacteria multiply at a faster rate.
“Unless a test is done on the fruits, one can’t say why they went bad. Fresh fruit on supermarket shelves are waxed. They look alright but can be rotten. The fruits on shelves have a super preservation technique,” Dr Srinivasulu said.
If rotten, fruits will sicken you
According to Dr Hari Kishen, general physician, City Corporate Hospital, rotten food can be identified by its smell. The taste is acidic and will induce nausea if consumed.
Rotten fruits or juices could cause vomiting, as they will irritate the stomach.
Anything rotten is a good multiplication medium for bacteria; if consumed the person could end up with diarrhoea. Other symptoms include cramps, abdominal pain.
