Gold-plated grapefruit with engraved words, should you eat it for Tet?

During Tet, I often buy grapefruits with engraved or gold-plated letters to display in hopes of good fortune. So should I eat this fruit? (Thuy, 30 years old, Ha Nam)

Reply:

Fruits such as grapefruit, oranges, and tangerines, if grown and cared for to ensure quality, without preservatives or stimulants, and of good quality, can be eaten. Grapefruit in particular has many uses such as being rich in vitamin C, helping to beautify the skin and prevent aging, rich in fiber, supporting weight loss...

However, it is important to understand that with Tet trees, their purpose is for decoration and beauty, so there is a risk that growers will use many types of pesticides, growth stimulants, and anti-fruit-dropping drugs to keep the fruit fresh for as long as possible. Therefore, these fruits are no longer safe for food. Not to mention, the quality of the fruit will not be delicious, such as grapefruit, although it looks very beautiful on the outside, when eaten, it may be dry and bitter.

If you try to consume it just to gain wealth, you risk food poisoning. Even trying to use it as traditional medicine, boiling water or making essential oils for steaming is not recommended.

In addition, when buying grapefruit to display on Tet, you should also pay attention to children because chemicals and stimulants that help the fruit stay fresh and not fall off can stick to the surface. If children enjoy touching it and then put it in their eyes, nose, and mouth, it is not good for their health. In short, we should not use these fruits because we are stingy or frugal.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh
Biotechnology and Food Expert

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