No poison in imported fruits

No poisonous contents in imported fruits such as apples, oranges and grapes. The samples taken from the harbour and the airport had tested by the Health Ministry’s Environmental and Occupational Health and Food Safety Unit, Health Ministry spokesman said.According to the spokesman, recently the the Committee on Public Accounts stated that the Government Analyst informed the Committee that poisonous substances found in imported fruits.

Earlier the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) Secretary Dr. Haritha Aluthge said it is revealed that remains of a poisonous pesticide banned in Sri Lanka is containing in some imported fruits.According to Dr. Aluthge, remains of the pesticide `Chlorophos’ contain in grapes, apples and oranges imported to Sri Lanka from foreign countries and the fact has already been confirmed by the Government Analyst.

Responding to the claim made by the GMOA, the Health Ministry’s Environmental and Occupational Health and Food Safety Unit stated that the content of the pesticide level is bellow the maximum residue level but Health Ministry has decided to inform all the countries to send fruits completely free of this pesticide remains because the pesticide is totally banned in Sri Lanka.