Maggot-infested oranges not found in Shanghai

By Chen Qian  |   2008-10-20  |     ONLINE EDITION

SHANGHAI has not had any reports of maggot-infested oranges in the city after online rumors spread that some oranges were unsafe to eat, Shanghai Fruit Business Association said today.

A warning notice spread online and through short messages in Shanghai during the past few days that maggots were found in oranges grown in Wangcang County, Sichuan. There was a maggot outbreak in Wangcang earlier this year.

Most of the oranges sold in Shanghai are from the provinces of Hunan, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Hebei.

The infected oranges look normal but have maggots inside. The Wangcang government issued the maggot epidemic on September 27. It purchased all maggot-infested oranges for 0.3 yuan (0.4 US cents) per kilogram and buried them after treatment.

The manager of Shanghai Shanhua Fruit Wholesale Market told the newspaper yesterday that Shanghai fruit dealers seldom purchase fruit from Sichuan due to the long transport distance. At present, only some kiwis in the market were purchased from Sichuan.

The city’s quality watchdog checked Shanhua market and found that all oranges were free of maggots.

Agricultural experts said eating a small amount of maggots will not harm a person. But experts still remind residents to have a look at the pulp to see whether there are maggots in the fruit before eating it.