The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in its recent raids at fruit markets in Nashik and Nagpur has destroyed artificially-ripened mangoes worth lakhs of rupees. According to authorities, mangoes were being ripened with the help of chemical agent popularly know as carbide, a known ripening agent.
The FDA conducted raids at fruit markets in Nagpur and Nashik last week to check if artificial ripening agents are being used in mangoes.
The authorities destroyed around five tonnes and more than one tonne of mangoes in Nagpur and Nashik respectively.
“We conduct such raids on and off, since vendors become aware and stop the process for some time. We try and catch them red-handed,” said G.H. Rathod, joint commissioner, state FDA.
Since the beginning of the month, food inspectors from Nagpur and Nashik have seized over 6,000 kgs of alphonso mangoes, which are artificially ripened using calcium carbide powder that releases acetylene gas. The substance is carcinogenic and can cause a host of health problems.
On May 14, FDA officials seized 5,091 kgs of artificially ripened alphonsoes worth `1.37 lakh, and destroyed them. In the first week of May, FDA off-icials destroyed 1,100 kgs of mangoes worth `99,000 for the same reasons.
“Using these agents for ripening of mangoes is illegal as per the Food Safety and Standards Act. We have sent circulars to all the district FDA offices to test random samples and make seizures if the powder is found in the boxes,” Mr Rathod said.
Doctors said that people who handle these mangoes should be careful.
“Calcium carbide is known to be carcinogenic. It is also known to precipitate calcium deposition in the body, which is not good. The packets of calcium carbide can break open in the box and can lead to accidental consumption of the chemical,” said Dr Pratit Samdh-ani, consulting physician, Jaslok Hospital.
The FDA conducted raids at fruit markets in Nagpur and Nashik last week to check if artificial ripening agents are being used in mangoes.
The authorities destroyed around five tonnes and more than one tonne of mangoes in Nagpur and Nashik respectively.
“We conduct such raids on and off, since vendors become aware and stop the process for some time. We try and catch them red-handed,” said G.H. Rathod, joint commissioner, state FDA.
Since the beginning of the month, food inspectors from Nagpur and Nashik have seized over 6,000 kgs of alphonso mangoes, which are artificially ripened using calcium carbide powder that releases acetylene gas. The substance is carcinogenic and can cause a host of health problems.
On May 14, FDA officials seized 5,091 kgs of artificially ripened alphonsoes worth `1.37 lakh, and destroyed them. In the first week of May, FDA off-icials destroyed 1,100 kgs of mangoes worth `99,000 for the same reasons.
“Using these agents for ripening of mangoes is illegal as per the Food Safety and Standards Act. We have sent circulars to all the district FDA offices to test random samples and make seizures if the powder is found in the boxes,” Mr Rathod said.
Doctors said that people who handle these mangoes should be careful.
“Calcium carbide is known to be carcinogenic. It is also known to precipitate calcium deposition in the body, which is not good. The packets of calcium carbide can break open in the box and can lead to accidental consumption of the chemical,” said Dr Pratit Samdh-ani, consulting physician, Jaslok Hospital.
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