Live Larvae Found in Peppers Bought from Famous Shopping Mall
Consumer "Almost Swallowed Without Knowing" VS Producer "It's a Natural Occurrence"
Citizens are shopping at a large supermarket in downtown Seoul. The photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@
[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] There appears to be a conflict of opinions between consumers and producers regarding the discovery of caterpillars in purchased agricultural products. Consumers demanded an apology and compensation, saying they almost swallowed the caterpillars unknowingly, while producers stated that the presence of insects in agricultural products is a natural phenomenon and that compensation is not possible.
According to Yonhap News on the 25th, Mr. A, who lives in Seoul, found a live caterpillar in Dangjogochu purchased from a famous shopping mall on the 17th. Dangjogochu, meaning chili pepper that regulates sugar, is known as a functional agricultural product that prevents blood sugar spikes due to its alpha-glucosidase inhibitor (AGI) component, which interferes with carbohydrate absorption.
Mr. A called the producer to complain after finding a total of five caterpillars in five out of six bags of purchased chili peppers.
However, the producer reportedly responded that it was a "minor issue." They said that caterpillars can naturally appear in agricultural products like chili peppers, so it was not something to make a problem out of.
Mr. A was baffled by this. He said, "Instead of an apology, they said 'there are always insects in chili peppers.' They could have just apologized, but instead, they argued with me, which made me even more upset." He added, "I can't check every chili pepper by cutting it open before eating, so this has caused me trauma, and now I can't eat chili peppers," expressing his frustration.
Regarding this, the representative of the chili pepper farm told Yonhap News, "We should have apologized to the consumer at first, but emotions escalated, so we couldn't."
However, they maintained their stance that there would be no separate compensation plan for this incident. They explained that finding caterpillars in chili peppers is a natural phenomenon, and there had been no related issues raised before, nor had there been any refunds or compensation.
He explained, "Chili pepper caterpillars bore into the peppers and grow inside. When the chili pepper flowers bloom, butterflies lay eggs, and the caterpillars grow inside the peppers." He added, "We apply pesticides early to prevent this, but since excessive pesticide use is harmful to consumer health, we cannot spray too much."
Meanwhile, various opinions emerged among netizens regarding this issue. One netizen agreed with the producer's view, saying that insects can appear in agricultural products. He said, "Insects visible on the surface, like on lettuce, can be removed during washing, but those inside cannot be known by growers or sellers."
Other netizens commented, "Caterpillars often appear in peaches or chestnuts too, but we just eat them," and "Vegetables soaked in pesticides wouldn't have insects, but this product is certified as healthy organic chili peppers," among other reactions. On the other hand, some expressed that consumers who ate the chili peppers could understandably feel uneasy.
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