No bananas with poison in SA – Agriculture department
A video of a man dissecting bananas was shared, purporting bananas imported from Somalia have “Helicobacter" worms that caused poisoning and death.
The Department of Agriculture has assured the public that bananas are safe to eat after fake news of the fruit containing helicobacter was spread on social media.
Spokesperson Reggie Ngcobo said there was concern over the fabricated news of bananas containing helicobacter.
The false information purported that 500 tons of bananas arrived from Somalia at a market containing a worm that releases poison into the stomach.
The news cited symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, headaches and says after 12 hours, the person would be braindead.
“Refrain buying or eating bananas, if do buy, be sure to open them inside,” it warned.
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Ngcobo said no bananas were recently imported into South Africa from Somalia.
Ngcobo urged citizens to refrain from sharing false and malicious information that can create panic.
“The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development condemns, with the strongest possible terms, the fake news about imported bananas from Somalia.”
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He said South Africa regulated the importation of plants and plant products, in terms of the agricultural pests act,1983.
“Such imports are subjected to inspection at the ports of entry and can be subjected to extended detention for further inspection, before its release into the retail space.”
He said that if a consignment did not comply with South African import requirements, entry into the country was not granted.
“Imported bananas are carefully examined by government inspectors at the ports of entry, to ensure there are no quarantine pests, foodborne diseases or any other harmful foreign material that can negatively affect the agricultural environment/industry and, in particular, consumers.”
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Ngcobo said the department continued to be vigilant in monitoring the food products arriving in South Africa.
“Any product suspected to be risky or harmful to the consumers or our territory cannot be permitted to enter the Republic or would be subjected to withdrawal from the shelves if such a risk is identified post border or at the retail level.”
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