This picture taken on September 14, 2023 shows a worker packing a bunch of Shine Muscat grapes on Yuki Nakamura's farm in Tomi city, Nagano Prefecture. Photo by Philip FONG / AFP
Almaty, Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan said Monday that it would 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.
Originally 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.
This picture taken on September 14, 2023 shows Shine Muscat grapes growing on Yuki Nakamura's farm in Tomi city, Nagano Prefecture. Photo by Philip FONG / AFP
But Kazakhstan's agriculture ministry said Monday that 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," local media quoted Agriculture Minister Aidarbek Saparov as saying.
The Central Asian nation is on a food safety drive, with a government agency saying this month that 60 percent of tested products did not meet minimum standards.
