FARMERS say it is safe for Australians to continue to enjoy fresh, ripe lychees despite concerning reports about an illness affecting children in India.
Australian Lychee Growers Association president Derek Foley said research published in the medical journal The Lancet clearly showed that the illness affected malnourished children eating large numbers of green immature unripe fruit.
“The report identifies an amino acid present in high concentrations in the unripe fruit which affects the way glucose is metabolised and has a particularly strong impact on malnourished children who did not eat an evening meal,” Mr Feley said.
“While we are very distressed to hear about the impact on these children, the pre-conditions for the illness are not likely to occur in Australia.
“The bottom line is that Australian consumers are unlikely to be in contact with green immature unripe fruit and are unlikely to be eating them in large quantities at the exclusion of other foods.”
Queensland’s peak horticulture body Growcom also endorsed the safety of Australian lychees.
Mr Feley said the Australian industry prided itself on picking fruit that was ripe red delicious and ready for consumption whereas the children in India were raiding orchards and gorging on green immature unripe fruit and then going without dinner.
“The researchers themselves recommended eating an evening meal and moderating the intake of green immature lychees,” Mr Feley said.
“The researchers also pointed out that studies are looking at how to put the lychee’s glucose-lowering properties to good use in treating metabolic syndrome.”
