The agency is testing 7 tons of imported Shine Muscat grapes after reports of chemical contamination

All imported Muscat Shine grapes they met food safety standards, according to the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA), responding to public concern over recent reports of chemical contamination.

The agency’s Food and Drug Inspection Division seized 6.93 tonnes of grapes valued at 3 million baht last Tuesday to conduct chemical residue tests under its Hold Test Release protocol.

The fruits met all regulatory standards, so the FDA approved them for import and domestic sale, Deputy Director General Lertchai Lerttut said on Friday.

Public concern arose last month when Consumer Council of Thailand reported that 23 out of 24 samples of Shine Muscat grapes it tested were found to contain dangerous chemical residues above the acceptable legal limit. Some were contaminated with chlorpyrifos and endrin aldehyde, which are banned under Thai food safety laws.

Mr Lertchai said the FDA has strict inspection measures for imported fruits and vegetables, including the Release of Retention Test, where samples are taken at an ISO 17025-certified laboratory to test for agricultural chemical residues within 24 hours of delivery.

If residues exceed safety levels, the products will be banned from entering the country and legal action will be taken, Mr Lertchai said.

The FDA urges importers to ensure that imported products meet Thai legal standards and come from certified sources.

Discussions will be held with foreign embassies to maximize the safety of imported products, and more random sampling and testing will be conducted at FDA checkpoints, he said.

In any case, consumers are advised to soak imported products in plain water for 15 minutes before scrubbing under running water for at least 30 seconds.