Thai Durian Exports Halted Due to Dye Contamination

Over 64 tonnes of Thai durian destined for China were rejected due to contamination with yellow dye. Thailand's Agriculture Department confirmed the contamination after testing samples of the rejected fresh fruit. The contaminated durian was subsequently destroyed. It's suspected that exporters used Basic Yellow 2 dye to enhance the fruit's color. China now requires laboratory testing for all imported Thai durian. As a result, 26 durian wholesalers have had their export licenses suspended, and the Agriculture Department is revising export procedures for durian fruit to prevent future incidents.