Viral grapes? Kazakhstan to check safety of TikTok-famous fruit

Some videos of social media users rushing to buy and then taste-test the grape have racked up millions of views online. Photo / TikTok, Screenshot

Kazakhstan says it will open a probe into the safety of a variety of grapes that has shot to popularity through viral TikTok videos, following reports of allergic reactions.

Originating from Japan, the Shine Muscat seedless grape is sweeter, bigger and crunchier than regular grapes – and many times more expensive.

Videos of social media users rushing to buy and then taste-testing the grape have racked up millions of views online and are especially popular in Central Asia.

But Kazakhstan’s agriculture ministry said on Monday it was planning to test the grape for chemicals after several people online reported suffering an allergic reaction after eating it.

“We are going to take a sample and send it for verification,” Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov said.

The Central Asian nation is on a food safety drive, with a government agency saying this month that 60% of tested products did not meet minimum standards.

© Agence France-Presse