Singapore durian seller accused of unhygienic packaging practices during livestreams

The clips, posted on the TikTok account @sgexposed7, showed a staff member wiping his nose with a gloved hand while continuing to handle durians.

Another video showed him speaking directly over exposed durian flesh without a spit mask, with the caption sarcastically saying: "He’s right about selling the best durian due to his [added ingredient] of saliva," Must Share News reported.

The TikTok account’s administrator told the outlet that the footage was recorded during a July 8 livestream of the durian shop.

He said he was shocked by "the complete disregard for basic food hygiene," noting that a staff member continued working despite cutting himself, only reluctantly putting on a glove after a viewer’s comment. He described the behavior as "careless" and "almost defiant."

Musang King durian. Photo from Instagram

In response, Eric Xie, owner of HengBros Singapore, which ran the livestream, acknowledged receiving viewer complaints. He stressed that the business holds a valid Singapore Food Agency licence and said that durians sold to customers are inspected, sealed, and prepared by trained staff, not the individuals featured in the livestreams.

"Durians packed are not for personal consumption, they are to be put on our shelves and sealed, then sold," Xie said. "Our streamers just want to show the quality and eat the durians themselves during streams."

Addressing the clip where a staff member used a gloved hand to wipe his nose, Xie claimed the individual was handling the durian with a knife rather than his hands. He added that a police report has been filed against the @sgexposed account.

This year’s peak "king of fruits" season has seen a surge of online vendors flocking to online platforms like Shopee, Carousell, and TikTok, Channel News Asia reported.

Singaporean actor Ben Yeo, who launched his SG Mao Shan Wang brand in 2021, told Mothership that he has partnered with local retailer Lexus Durian King to sell Musang King and other premium varieties through TikTok livestreams.

Raay Lim, another livestream seller, told The Straits Times that a 500g box of mao shan wang, a premium durian variety, sells for about SGD50 (US$39), and he estimates six-figure sales on TikTok Shop during the June harvest season.