Officials launch ‘mango raids’

• As mangoes have already flooded the wayside stalls from the neighbouring states, the Food Safety authorities are finding it hard to conduct regular checks on these seasonal fruits.

With the mango season in full swing, the Food Safety authorities have also geared up to meet the challenges posed by the artificial ripening of the fruit using chemicals. 

As mangoes have already flooded the wayside stalls from the neighbouring states, the Food Safety authorities are finding it hard to conduct regular checks on these seasonal fruits. However, the authorities have intensified their drive against the sale of mangoes which have been allegedly ripened using chemicals. They raided many wholesale and retail shops in the district and seized large quantities of the fruit.

With complaints rising, the authorities have decided to intensify the drive in the coming days. The authorities said that apart from Calcium carbide, ethereal chemicals are also sprayed on the mangoes for ripening.

The Food Safety departments in the neighbouring states had informed the Food Safety authorities here about the use of plant growth regulator hormones for ripening mangoes. After the report from the neighbouring states, the Food Safety authorities here took about 70 samples of mangoes, which were allegedly ripened using such chemicals, from various markets across the state. The samples have been sent to the Government Analytical Lab. Officials said that prosecution proceedings would be initiated only after the  results are received.

Though the Food Safety authorities have intensified their drive, sale of mangoes is rampant in many parts of the district.