Saheed Ibrahim
Claim: A viral WhatsApp video claims that holes in tomatoes are caused by snake bites and that consuming such tomatoes can lead to death due to snake venom.
Full Text
Recently, a video went viral on WhatsApp, where a young man warns Nigerians to avoid tomatoes with holes, claiming they result from snake bites and could be deadly if consumed.
The 3-minute, 18-second video features an image of a snake biting a tomato alongside a cropped picture of two tomatoes with two holes in them.
He further warns against purchasing tomatoes with such holes, regardless of financial constraints, insisting that they should be avoided entirely. According to him, a white substance inside the holes is evidence of snake venom. He also asserts that snakes are attracted to tomatoes and that other venomous reptiles may bite them as well.
Speaking in Pidgin English, the man claims that the two holes seen in the tomatoes were caused by snake bites, as their spacing aligns with the fangs of a snake. He urges people to share the video to spread awareness.
Given the widespread circulation of the video and its potential impact on public health, we conducted this fact-check.
Verification
To investigate the claim in the viral video, we conducted a keyword search on Google, used InVid for video verification, and performed a reverse image search.
Findings revealed that the claim surfaced on Nigerian Facebook communities on December 4, 2024, and earlier on X (Twitter) on November 27, 2024, before being widely recirculated.
Further checks showed that the same claim had previously spread in Egypt, Thailand, and India in 2024 and was fact-checked by independent verification organisations. A fact-check published by Egypt Independent on October 16, 2024, debunked the claim. The head of the Farmers Syndicate, Hussein Abdel-Rahman Abu-Saddam, dismissed the warning as a baseless rumour.
Similarly, an AFP Fact Check report from December 23, 2024, debunked the claim when it circulated in Thailand. AFP interviewed Saranont Charoensuk, Senior Manager and Head of Operations at the Bangkok Snake Museum, and Taksa Vasaruchapong, Acting Head of Thailand’s Venomous Snake Husbandry Centre. Both experts confirmed that the holes in tomatoes are not caused by snake bites.
Additionally, The Healthy Indian Project, on December 2, 2024, clarified that holes in tomatoes result from pest infestations by tomato fruitworms, hornworms, weevils, or beetles, not snakes. Citing insights from Dr Swati Dave, PhD in Food and Nutrition, and Deepalakshmi Sriram, the report emphasised that while such tomatoes should be washed thoroughly before consumption, those with decay or mould should be discarded.
Notably, in our April 2, 2024, fact-check, we reported that consuming rotten tomatoes has been linked to cancer. Rotten tomatoes are said to contain aflatoxins, which can predispose those who consume them to cancer. Experts advised that it is advisable to eat clean and healthy food that serves nutritional values.
Conclusion
The claim that holes in tomatoes are caused by snake bites and contain venom is false. Fact-checks from credible sources, including agricultural and food safety experts, confirmed that the holes are caused by pests, not snakes. There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that snakes bite tomatoes or that their venom remains in the fruit. However, food experts advise washing tomatoes thoroughly and avoiding those with decay or mould.