Doctor Reacts To Kiwi Fruit Positive Lateral Flow Test

A doctor has responded to claims that there 'is COVID-19 in kiwi juice'.

Dr Karan Raj, an NHS surgical doctor and lecturer at Sunderland University, uses TikTok to share his medical opinions with followers and address certain speculation, such as whether a kiwi fruit contains coronavirus.

In his latest video, the doctor decided to test the kiwi himself to validate or distil such claims.

After sharing his grimacing response to a video by another user which claims that kiwis contain coronavirus, the doctor - who has an impressive 249.6 million likes and 4.6 million followers on the platform - noted: 'This is your daily reminder that you're not a kiwi. Unless you're from New Zealand.'

He explained: 'Inside your lateral flow test, there's a strip known as the congregation pad. This is where antibodies are attached to gold nanoparticles. For the test to work properly it needs stable electromagnetic interaction between the gold nanoparticles and antibodies.'

Dr Raj goes on to note how the 'biological components are very pH sensitive'. 'If you change the pH like adding something acidic, like a kiwi fruit, this can completely change the charge on the antibody and corrupt the test, giving you a false positive,' he concluded.

The post has since amassed over one million views on the platform. One user responded: 'You just wasting COVID tests over here during a national shortage?'

Doctor Responds To Kiwi Covid Claims (@dr.karanr/TikTok)

Another wrote: 'I worry how many times you've had to do this video but for different things.. Water...coke...now kiwi.'

A third commented: 'Yo now I know how to get outta school 😂 (for legal purposes this is a joke 😅).'

The doctor has used the platform to address other questions he has received from followers and offer his opinion on a whole range of medical issues. From raising awareness of endometriosis to revealing the rarest eye colour in the world, and even explaining the science behind period pains.

Another doctor has also taken to the platform to warn against the practice of bloodletting. Be warned, the video is gruesome and you definitely shouldn't try it at home.

And if that wasn't enough professional advice from TikTok for you for one day, then you can also learn what you should - or shouldn't say - to police to avoid a speeding ticket.

If you’ve been affected by coronavirus and want up to date advice, visit the Gov.uk help page here. If you need medical help call NHS 111 or visit online 

Topics: TikTok, Viral, Coronavirus

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.