Blue stains on vegetables are remnants of undissolved fungicide: NTUC FairPrice
SINGAPORE: The blue stains found by customers on some vegetables purchased from NTUC FairPrice are "residual remnants of undissolved fungicide", a spokesperson for the supermarket chain said on Thursday (Sep 28).
"All food products sold by FairPrice comply with stringent regulatory requirements and have been approved for sale by the authorities. Food safety is of paramount concern to FairPrice and we have conducted an investigation into this matter," the spokesperson said.
"Nonetheless, we acknowledge that better care should have been taken to process the vegetables before they were packed."
The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said on Wednesday it was investigating reports of "blue dots" on some vegetables from FairPrice.
AVA said that the stains could be due to the use of a copper-based fungicide, approved to be used in agriculture and easily removed by washing.
Several people have posted on FairPrice's Facebook page, complaining about the vegetables.
FairPrice said on Thursday it has made its concerns known to the supplier of the vegetables and has "taken the necessary actions to ensure this does not recur".
Customers who bought fresh produce from FairPrice and find the quality to be unsatisfactory can return the product to the same store with their receipt before the stated expiry date for a full refund or exchange, it said.
"While efforts are in place to ensure that the produce are free from residue, it is good practice for consumers to wash all produce prior to consumption," the spokesperson added.
Source: CNA/mz