Screenshot of a second-hand trading platform showing sellers listing moldy oranges for sale Photo: CCTV

Moldy oranges covered in green fuzz have appeared for sale at high prices on a major second-hand trading platform in China recently, with listings reaching hundreds or even thousands of yuan, sparking widespread debate on social media. 

One listing, priced at 388 yuan ($53), attracted tens of thousands of views, according to CCTV News.

Some sellers claim in product descriptions that the moldy oranges can be used for biological or chemical experiments, with some listings explicitly labeled as "suitable for experimental use."

However, a medical graduate student told media that formal laboratory materials are not sourced from e-commerce sites. "We have dedicated platforms or specialized companies and suppliers for this purpose. Procurement is generally done through official channels, not through online shopping platforms. We buy purified materials specifically for experiments, not ones contaminated with various unwanted microbes," according to CNR.

Experts acknowledged that moldy oranges may offer limited research value in food science. However, it was noted that purchasing experimental materials from online shopping platforms cannot ensure rigorous scientific data. 

Experts also advised that moldy food at home should be discarded promptly to prevent potential health risks, according to media reports.

A platform representative told media that the prices listed on the product links are not the actual transaction prices but were instead used to attract attention and generate traffic.

Some moldy fruits may indeed be useful to researchers, as seen in 2024 when scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences received an apple growing mushrooms for a study on fungal growth.

Global Times-CCTV