Food and Drugs Administration seizes 500 kg mangoes being artificially ripened

PUNE: The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) officials seized 500 kg mangoes worth Rs 25,000 that were being ripened with the use of a chemical called calcium carbide during a raid at a shop of a mango trader in Shukrawar Peth on Tuesday.
The seized mangoes were destroyed at a dumping ground, while the chemical samples were sent to a city-based public health laboratory for further investigations.
Pradnya Surse, food safety officer, FDA, who was part of the team of four FDA officials conducting the raid, said, "The trader was using the chemical to ripen mangoes. Calcium carbide is banned because it is detrimental to health if consumed in a large quantity. It is said to affect the eyes and cause cancer."
She said the team recovered three small pouches of the chemical (approximately weighing 20 gm each) from the spot. "Such pouches are usually kept with raw mangoes to ripen the fruits. The FDA conducts such raids every mango season," she added.
Chandrashekhar Salunke, joint commissioner (food), FDA, said, "Artificial ripening by using carbide is banned under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA). The chemical, if consumed in large quantities, damages internal organs. Legal action will be taken against the defaulter once the lab results are out. The maximum fine in case of compounding is Rs 1 lakh, while that in case of adjudication is Rs 10 lakh."
D P Nerkar, a food technologist, said, "Calcium carbide and its crystals are toxic and are banned by the government, because poisonous chemicals should not be used around food. Calcium carbide reacts with the moisture in the air and produces acetylene which is similar to ethylene used for ripening mangoes."
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India says on its website, "Chemicals like calcium carbide/ ethephon and oxytocin are reportedly being used in fruit and vegetable 'mandis'/ farms for artificial ripening of fruits 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."