Drunk on jackfruit? Kerala bus drivers fail breath test without a drop of alcohol. Here's how

The fermented sugars in the ripe jackfruit had mimicked the presence of alcohol on the breath, thereby triggering the false positives.

Three Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus drivers were nearly booked for drunk driving after breathalyser tests at the Pandalam depot in Pathanamthitta district recorded alcohol levels—despite none of the drivers having consumed any liquor.

The incident occurred last week during a routine morning check, which is mandatory before drivers begin their routes. To their surprise and confusion, the breathalyser indicated a blood alcohol level of 10 for all three drivers—well above the legally permissible limit.

The drivers, adamant that they had not consumed any alcohol, protested the test results. In the midst of the commotion, attention turned to a strongly aromatic jackfruit that had been brought into the room by one of the drivers, a native of Kottarakara in Kollam district.

Officials grew suspicious of the fruit’s possible role in skewing the results. Jackfruit, particularly when overly ripe, is known to undergo fermentation, which can lead to the release of alcohol-like compounds. To verify their suspicions, KSRTC officials conducted a controlled test.

A driver who had previously tested negative was asked to eat a few pieces of the same jackfruit. Moments later, the breathalyser alarm sounded again, confirming a positive reading—despite the driver having consumed nothing apart from the fruit.

The test left no room for doubt. The fermented sugars in the ripe jackfruit had mimicked the presence of alcohol on the breath, thereby triggering the false positives. The incident, though bizarre, shed light on how certain naturally fermented fruits could interfere with alcohol detection devices.

No disciplinary action was taken against the drivers after the experiment confirmed their claims.