Calcium carbide had been used to ripen these mangoes
WAGING A WAR:Officials checking artificially ripened mangoes in Tuticorin on Thursday.— Photo: N. Rajesh
Food safety officers busted a racket and seized mangoes that had been artificially ripened in Tuticorin on Thursday.
A metric tonne of mangoes that had been stacked in a godown at market area and ripened by using calcium carbide, a prohibited substance, were destroyed by the officials. A team led by M. Jagadish Chandrabose, Designated Officer, Food Safety and Standards Act, Tuticorin, warned of stringent action against those who indulge in such unlawful activity.
He pointed out that the chemical residue of the carcinogenic substance can easily penetrate in to the mangoes leading to severe health disorder.
Stringent action
He warned that if any consumer was hospitalized after consuming artificially ripened mangoes, the vendor responsible for this would have to undergo five years of rigorous imprisonment besides a penalty of Rs. 10 lakh under the Food Safety Standards Act, 2006.
Pointing out that many vendors use this dangerous substance also to add colour to the mangoes so that it could fetch high price, he said the unscrupulous vendors take advantage of ignorant consumers, who just look for size and colour of mangoes. The consumers should be cautious as intake of such artificially ripened mangoes can lead to ulcer, insomnia, brain dysfunction, nervous failure and also liver problem.
Mangoes with black spots or any visible abnormality should not be preferred at all.
All vendors and those in the food industry must possess a registered license otherwise they would face serious penality, Dr. Chandrabose added.
No comments:
Post a Comment