Did This Sweet Summer Official State Fruit Make Kerala Bus Drivers Fail An Alcohol Test?

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It was supposed to be just another routine day at the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) depot in Pandalam. Buses lined up. Drivers reporting for duty. And somewhere between casual chatter and shared snacks, a tropical fruit managed to create a full-blown protocol panic.

Yes, jackfruit-India's beloved, spiky, aromatic gift of summer-turned villain for a brief, bizarre moment. In a comedy of errors that had depot staff baffled, a bus driver failed a breathalyser test. But this wasn't a case of secret drinking on duty. This was a case of... overeating jackfruit. And no, we're not joking.

Photo Credit: AI Generated Image

Can Jackfruit Masquerade As Booze?

According to reports, the hilarious incident took place at the KSRTC depot in Pandalam, Kerala. A generous driver brought a fresh batch of home-harvested jackfruit to share with his colleagues. Among those delighted by the gesture was a fellow bus driver, who reportedly ate a hearty amount of the sweet, sticky fruit just before his shift began.

All was well-until the authorities ran their routine pre-duty breathalyser checks.

To everyone's shock (especially the driver), the reading on the breathalyser soared from 0 to 10 in seconds. A 10 indicates alcohol presence, which automatically leads to disciplinary action. But the accused driver swore he hadn't touched a drop of liquor. His protest was so intense, he even requested a blood test to prove his innocence.
Then came the twist: he wasn't alone. Three other drivers failed the breathalyser too.

Natural Sugars In Jackfruit Can Mimic Alcohol

Now confused and a little suspicious, the officials did what anyone in a true Kerala thriller would do-they turned the breathalyser on themselves.
One official, starting with a perfect zero reading, then consumed jackfruit and took the test again. Guess what? The breathalyser registered him as drunk too.
That's when the depot finally cracked the mystery. It was the jackfruit all along.
Apparently, the naturally fermenting sugars in ripe jackfruit can, in some cases, mimic alcohol content on a breathalyser reading. This is especially true if consumed in large quantities right before the test. So while no one was drunk, their fruity indulgence made the machine say otherwise.

What Makes This Incident So Important (And Kinda Funny)

While the Kerala incident is harmless and even laughable in hindsight, it does raise a serious question-how accurate are breathalyser tests in non-alcohol-related cases? Should protocol evolve to include dietary considerations, especially in a country where fermented and sugary fruits are consumed widely?

Compare this with a horrifying case from Delhi that unfolded just days earlier, when an actual drunk driver behind the wheel of a speeding Audi ran over five people sleeping on a footpath. That's the kind of tragedy breathalyser tests are meant to prevent.

In contrast, here we have four innocent public bus drivers nearly suspended for eating jackfruit-proof that even safety tools need occasional recalibration.

Let's not forget-Kerala declared jackfruit its official state fruit in 2018. The fruit is everywhere-eaten ripe, raw, as chips, in biryani, or even in desserts. But no one thought it could almost get you suspended from work.

The depot in Pandalam has now reportedly warned its staff to avoid jackfruit before breathalyser tests, which may just be the most Kerala thing to come out of 2025.

So next time you're in Kerala during jackfruit season, maybe go easy before you get behind the wheel-or at least let 30 minutes pass.