Khaberni - At the start of every summer season in Egypt, a broad debate renews across social media platforms about the safety of the watermelon crop, where terms like "cancerous watermelon" or "sprayed" and "poisonous" are frequently cited.
In response to these persistent rumors, the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture settled the debate affirming the quality and safety of the Egyptian crop.
The head of the Climate Change Information Center at the Agricultural Research Center in Egypt, Dr. Mohamed Ali Fahim, confirmed that the circulated information has no scientific basis, describing these rumors as "spoiling people's livelihoods" and harming the national agricultural system.
He clarified that watermelons undergo a rigorous monitoring system throughout the year to ensure a safe and healthy product reaches the consumer.
Regarding some observations consumers might notice inside the fruits, such as a "white heart" or internal voids, "Fahim" explained that these phenomena are not at all indicative of the presence of poisons, but are natural results of agricultural and climatic reasons, among them: temperature fluctuations: the clear disparity in temperatures during the growth stages, and the increase or decrease in irrigation and some nutrients: These are physiological factors that affect the internal formation of the fruit.
The head of the Climate Change Information Center stressed that these phenomena are natural and do not indicate the presence of any substances harmful to health, emphasizing that the Egyptian agricultural product enjoys a good reputation and is subject to strict food safety requirements.
He urged citizens not to follow the rumors circulating on social media and to rely on reliable scientific sources for information.
