Okra (Ladies Finger) Safety Inspection

Ladies finger (okra) wilts and dries out quickly. To maintain a fresh appearance for days, vendors often coat them with glycerine or oil-based solutions. **1. The Touch Test:** Natural fresh okra has a slightly fuzzy, dry texture. If the okra feels unnaturally smooth, slippery, sticky, or oily to touch, it's been coated with glycerine or oil. **2. The Wash Water Test:** Place the okra in a bowl of plain water and swish them around for 1-2 minutes. If you see an oily film forming on the water surface or the water feels slippery, it indicates coating treatment. **3. The Tissue Rub Test:** Take a dry tissue or paper and rub the okra lengthwise. If the tissue picks up an oily residue or becomes translucent (like blotting paper absorbing oil), the okra is coated. **4. The Wrinkle Check:** Natural fresh okra has very slight, fine wrinkles and natural texture. Glycerine-coated okra looks perfectly smooth, shiny, and has no natural wrinkles - it looks "too perfect." **5. The Snap Test:** Fresh natural okra snaps cleanly when bent. Old okra treated with glycerine will bend without snapping (rubbery) or will snap but feel slimy inside.