Here’s some good news for Bangaloreans. This season, in an attempt to dole out all that’s natural, the Horticultural Producers Cooperative Marketing and Processing Societies (Hopcoms) has ensured that it will only sell those mangoes that have been ripened naturally. What’s more? The king of fruits is being sold at half the market price at Hopcoms.
The advantage of eating naturally ripened mangoes are aplenty. First, the method does not involve the use of any carcinogenic chemicals. According to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, chemicals like calcium carbide/ethephon and oxytocin are reportedly being used in fruit and vegetable farms for artificial ripening and for increasing the size of fruits
and vegetables. Calcium carbide, more commonly known as ‘masala,’ is a carcinogenic agent and banned under Rule 44-AA of PFA Rules, 1955. The chemical, if consumed in large quantities, damages internal organs.
Greedy vendors try to sell artificially ripened mangoes, which use calcium carbide. “The artificially ripened mangoes do not contain proteins. If the carbide level in the body exceeds, it will lead to stomach problems. It’s extremely harmful for children,” said Ayurveda expert Vasundhara Bhoopathi. But at Hopcoms, only those mangoes that have been ripened the natural way are being sold. Hopcoms managing director Shanmugappa explained that mangoes are being sold at highly affordable price in 272 Hopcoms outlets. Mangoes at
Hopcoms are sold at half the price when compared with those sold in other shops in the city. Mangoes—alphonso, badami, rasapuri, sindhoora, totapuri—are grown in Channapattana, Ramnagar and Kanakapura and sent to Hopcoms. So far, Hopcoms has sold 250 tonnes of mangoes.
Natural way of ripening
About 40 kg of mangoes are placed in a box. About 300 ml of ethanol and 5 ml of sodium are kept in plastic bowls besides these boxes. Later, these boxes are covered with tarpaulins and kept aside for three days. While most mangoes will become ripe in three days, alphonso mangoes take four days to ripe.
The advantage of eating naturally ripened mangoes are aplenty. First, the method does not involve the use of any carcinogenic chemicals. According to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, chemicals like calcium carbide/ethephon and oxytocin are reportedly being used in fruit and vegetable farms for artificial ripening and for increasing the size of fruits
and vegetables. Calcium carbide, more commonly known as ‘masala,’ is a carcinogenic agent and banned under Rule 44-AA of PFA Rules, 1955. The chemical, if consumed in large quantities, damages internal organs.
Greedy vendors try to sell artificially ripened mangoes, which use calcium carbide. “The artificially ripened mangoes do not contain proteins. If the carbide level in the body exceeds, it will lead to stomach problems. It’s extremely harmful for children,” said Ayurveda expert Vasundhara Bhoopathi. But at Hopcoms, only those mangoes that have been ripened the natural way are being sold. Hopcoms managing director Shanmugappa explained that mangoes are being sold at highly affordable price in 272 Hopcoms outlets. Mangoes at
Hopcoms are sold at half the price when compared with those sold in other shops in the city. Mangoes—alphonso, badami, rasapuri, sindhoora, totapuri—are grown in Channapattana, Ramnagar and Kanakapura and sent to Hopcoms. So far, Hopcoms has sold 250 tonnes of mangoes.
Natural way of ripening
About 40 kg of mangoes are placed in a box. About 300 ml of ethanol and 5 ml of sodium are kept in plastic bowls besides these boxes. Later, these boxes are covered with tarpaulins and kept aside for three days. While most mangoes will become ripe in three days, alphonso mangoes take four days to ripe.
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