Fact Check: Beware! Don't believe in the viral video of poisonous bananas
A video is widely being shared on social media where a man is seen peeling off the bananas and extracting some white worms.
By Tejal Sinha Published on 6 Nov 2021 3:00 PM GMT
Hyderabad: A video is widely being shared on social media where a man is seen peeling off the bananas and extracting some white worms. Sharing the video on Whatsapp and Twitter, social media users are claiming that bananas from Somalia containing poisonous worms have arrived in the market.
"Hello friends and people, please spread this video as much as possible. Recently, 500 tons of bananas from Somalia arrived in the markets, which contain a worm called Helicobacter that releases poisonous bananas in the stomach, which then shows the following symptoms (diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, headache) and after 12 hours the person will die from brain death. Please refrain from buying and eating bananas these days, or if you do buy, be sure to open them inside. Watch the video," reads the viral message.
Fact Check
The claim made through the viral post is False.
NewsMeter began its investigation by performing a keyword search that led us to a report published by Gulf News titled "Abu Dhabi denies social media rumors about poisonous bananas".
According to the report published by Gulf News, "Dr. Mohammed Al Hammadi, director of communication and community services at Adafsa, stressed that that authority verifies the safety of all food products made available in the emirate, including imported and local fruits and vegetables. He also called upon residents not to circulate rumors regarding food products without first verifying them, and urged residents to reach out to Adafsa with any complaints on concerns about food items in the emirate."
The fact check team also found a tweet by UAE BARQ, a media organization in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates on November 01, 2021, that tweeted the statement by Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority.
The team further found a report by Khaleej Times, a daily English language newspaper published in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates that had also reported about the viral video. The report reads, "Authority explained the clip indicates the presence of Helicobacter, a type of bacteria and not a type of worm, as shown in the clip."
In order to know more about helicobacter, the fact check team spoke to a gastroenterologist in Hyderabad with an experience of more than 15 years, who on the condition of anonymity confirmed that helicobacter is not a worm but a bacteria that affects one's stomach and generally happens during childhood. This bacteria can also make the stomach more acidic.
It is therefore evident that the claim made through the viral post is False. Helicobacter is a bacteria and not a worm like mentioned in the viral posts.
