Kiwi's are the kings of vitamin C. They are often bought for small children, pregnant women or the elderly, and everyone has the habit of buying those fruits that are firm, because they can be preserved longer. But recently, Mr. Gao, from Suzhou, bought a 'longevity' kiwi. It hasn't changed one bit after 138 days! Is it possible that this unchanging kiwi is immortal?
In order to understand what was going on, Mr. Gao delivered the kiwi to the Food Inspection and Quarantine Centre. Testing of the fruit showed that sulphur dioxide and formaldehyde were within the limits set by national standards, but that there were still residual traces of sulphur dioxide. The laboratory staff said that the kiwi had been lying there for 4 months, so some elements inside the kiwi, that were not eliminated, had already become volatile. The laboratory staff advised people not to eat food that has been preserved for too long. It can have an irritating effect on the respiratory tract or the mucous membrane of the mouth. In large quantities, it can even increase the risk of causing cancer.
Expert explanation: the kiwi was a late-ripe variety. It needs to be harvested in advance and should normally become completely ripe within one month. If the kiwi isn't ripe after a month, it won't become ripe at all and should not be eaten.
