Monsoon Alert: Why You Should Double-Check Tomatoes for Worm Infestations

Though people and livestock get relieved by the monsoon, it brings excellent breeding trappings for rodents and other diseases in common food vegetables such as tomatoes. Tomato fruit worms are specific pests that feed on tomatoes; the warm and moist conditions in this season are ideal for pests. As of late, a video where the popular Instagram blogger Ivaan Khanna & Mum published a tomato with small white worms inside, has attracted much attention to the fact that it is necessary to examine vegetables throughout the rainy period.

An expert in the medical field who is also a senior consultant physician Dr. Haricharan G says that these worms know how to lay their eggs on plants and get into fruit. While it is advisable to wash tomatoes to rid them of external soil and chemical deposits, this will only clean the outside and may not necessarily get rid of internal poisons. Ingestion of these worm-infested tomatoes will bring about tummy upsets, food-borne diseases, and infections among them. The waste that these worms give out can contain bad bacteria or toxins and this makes it mandatory to be very careful when handling tomatoes.

However, there is nothing that can be done to avoid the worms embedding themselves into the tomatoes; to avoid the possibility of consuming the worms, he recommends checking for the likes of small holes or even small dark spots which may be signs that worms are present. Tomato skin has also microbial load and should therefore best be peeled and cooked to reduce the possibility of ingesting pathogenic microbes. Also, tomato lovers should ensure they buy fresh tomatoes from reliable sources and ensure they are stored in good environmental conditions to minimize these insect attacks.

Nonetheless, there are simple measures that one could consider while buying tomatoes or handling tomatoes during the monsoon season for instance, one should ensure they check tomatoes for worms before buying them or consuming them by washing tomatoes or buying them from reputable vendors. It is always important to be careful so as to maintain the safety of your meals which are free from any possible contamination due to weather conditions for your fresh produce.