Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture denies use of ‘Ethryl’ on market tomatoes

CAIRO - 27 September 2025:  In response to a video footage circulating on social media claiming that tomatoes sold in the market are being sprayed with "ethryl" to accelerate ripening and enhance their external color, the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation confirms that these claims are completely unfounded.

The Ministry clarified that the white coloration sometimes observed inside tomatoes is due to several natural and agricultural factors, including high temperatures during Ripening. 

“Known as heat stress or temperature fluctuations, these conditions affect the production of lycopene, the pigment responsible for the red color in tomatoes,” the statement said. Inconsistent temperatures during ripening can lead to uneven coloration.

The Ministry also attributed the cause of the white coloration to the nutritional imbalances. It illustrated that a deficiency in potassium and calcium, or an excess of nitrogen fertilization, can also contribute to the development of white areas inside tomatoes.

These factors, whether occurring individually or in combination, can cause the white internal appearance of tomatoes. This phenomenon is in no way related to the use of chemical ripening agents or artificial colorants.

“We also assure consumers that tomatoes affected by these environmental or agricultural conditions are safe to eat and pose no risk to human health,” the statement read.

The Ministry urged all media outlets and social media users to verify information before sharing it and to rely on official sources to avoid spreading misinformation and causing unnecessary concern among the public.

Dr. Khaled Gad, Undersecretary of the Field Crops Institute at the Ministry of Agriculture, explained that the ripening of tomatoes—and the transformation of their color from green to red—requires specific temperature conditions.

Speaking via phone on the "Sabahk Masry" program on MBC Masr 2 on Saturday, Dr. Gad clarified that while high temperatures may cause the external color of the fruit to change, they do not affect the internal ripening process or color of the fruit.