Artificial ripening of fruits rampant

When the Kochi city shadow police seized nearly a tonne of mangoes from a wholesale fruit vendor and arrested him for using a hazardous chemical for artificially ripening them, they were just acknowledging a practice that has been going for years.

They were also acknowledging the fact that a sizeable number of Keralites have been eating poison-laced fruits for years. Using the chemical compound calcium carbide (CaC) for artificially ripening fruits brought in from other States is so commonplace that, vendors say, you can hardly find a fruit free from it.

A large chunk of the fruits consumed in Kerala is brought in from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. For the convenience of transportation, handling and longer shelf life, they are brought in unripe and later the artificial ripening agent is applied.

“We are aware that the fruits we sell are ripened with a chemical,” a wayside fruit-vendor in the city told The Hindu. “I don't know anything about its health risks, but it is very useful for us vendors — it increases the shelf life of the fruits and makes the fruits attractive to the buyers.”

He said that the wholesale vendor from whom he purchased the fruits used to keep a tiny cloth bag of the cheap chemical in each of the crate of fruits.

Just 1 kg of calcium carbide is enough to ripen some 15 crates of fruits, he said. “The chemical helps the fruits ripen evenly and give a smooth look to the fruits,” he said. A whole range of fruits — from mangoes, grapes, bananas, water melons, pomegranates to guava — were being ripened using CaC.

But, the convenience and profits of the vendors come at an enormous health cost to the consumers. Eating fruits ripened by calcium carbide can hurt the digestive system and the liver. It can also cause dizziness, headache and mental disorientation in the short term. Since it contains traces of arsenic and phosphorus, CaC is harmful to humans. When dissolved in water, CaC produces acetylene gas which can affect the neurological system.

A food safety official said that CaC greatly reduces the nutritional value of fruits as it compromises fructose contained in the fruit.

A chief food safety officer in the Food Safety Commission, Kerala, told The Hindu that artificially ripening fruits with CaC is an offence under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which came into force last year, and could fetch heavy fine and jail term for the offender.

He pointed out that the FSS Act was very harsh on those adulterating or contaminating food with poisonous chemicals.

The FSS Act takes the safety of food Indians eat very seriously.

Its ambit includes sale of sub-standard food, marketing of misbranded food, use of misleading advertisement, unhygienic manufacture and processing of food.

Some caution before eating

It is quite likely that the fruits you just bought (which most likely came from outside Kerala) could be injurious to your health.

In order to reduce the health risks, here are certain steps—as advised by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India—that you can take before eating:

—Select fruits and vegetables without spots or necrosis (lesions) and any abnormality

—Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly with water (preferable running potable water) before eating or cooking

—Buy fruits and vegetables from vendors you know

—Peel off fruits before consumption and vegetables before cooking—to reduce exposure to pesticides

—Do not buy and consume cut fruits from the streets

—Throw away fruits and vegetables infected by mould or fungus

—Discard the outer leaves of leafy vegetables such as lettuce and cabbage—to minimise risks from pesticide remnants

FOOD SAFETY DEPT. RAIDS IN HOTEL

Ice, soda factories under health scanner

In an effort to control water borne diseases during the monsoon, the National Rural Health Mission and District Medical Office have decided to launch special surveillance for outbreaks of water borne diseases associated with soda and other locally made drinks. 

 “Prevention is all we can do and we are making all efforts possible. Soda and other local beverages can be a source of illness and we have to prevent any such outbreak. Hence we have directed all the health officials to conduct inspections and collect samples of water used for manufacturing such beverages. Strict action will be taken against violators,” said district programme manager, B. Unnikrishnan. Unauthorised soda manufacturing units have mushroomed without strictures from the authorities, including the commissioner of food safety. 

“There are plenty of illegally functioning units; it would be safe if everyone avoids consuming sodas. We will be intensifying routine inspections. Drinking water sources will be chlorinated,” said the district medical officer, T. Peethambaran. 

 A major problem is the lack of co-ordination between the health department and the commissioner of food safety. A senior official in the health department alleg-ed that as per the Food Safety Act 2012 it is the sole responsibility of the commissioner of food safety to collect samples. 

 “Surveillance on such issues will be complete only with the co-operation of the food safety department. We are doing such activities along with our routine responsibilities,” the official said.