Food Dept Seizes 3 Tonnes of Artificially Ripened Mangoes

Officials of Food Safety Department inspecting the artificially ripened mangoes at Grand Bazaar in Puducherry on Wednesday

Three tonnes of artificially ripened mangoes were destroyed by the Food Safety Department after confiscating them from two godowns in Grand Bazar market on Wednesday. ‘Banganapalli’ and ‘Neelam‘ mangoes were found to be artificially ripened using calcium carbide, which is carcinogenic, Food Safety Officer Dhanraj told Express. 

Based on a complaint from the Puducherry Municipality, a team of municipal and revenue officials checked the products and found them artificially ripened and in violation of Food Safety and Standard Regulation, 2011. 

Such artificially ripened fruits do not have a pleasant smell and are half yellow and half green, Dhanraj said. Other fruits like bananas are also artificially ripened using calcium carbide.