Vendors warned against selling artificially ripened mangoes

Even as mango season sets in, fruit vendors have been put on notice by authorities against selling artificially ripened varieties that are flooding markets across the city. 

Terming such acts illegal, the officials of Department of Food Safety and Revenue Department warned that it would crack down on vendors and traders in the city found to be selling artificially ripened fruits. 

The department’s diktat follows reports of mass arrivals of artificially ripened fruits from parts ofTamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. 

Recently, on receiving a tip-off from the public, the sleuths of the food safety department launched raids at several shops and godowns owned by fruit vendors in the Big Market area right in the heart of the city. 

The tip-off proved to be authentic as officials stumbled upon a large quantity of mangoes ripened artificially using banned chemical calcium carbideas additive. These mangoes were sold in polythene packs or in cartons for bulk buyers. 

I. Danaraj, Food Safety Officer, told The Hindu : “The tip-off helped us organise raids on shops and godowns in the Big Market vicinity with the assistance of Revenue and Municipal authorities. We found small sachets of calcium carbide kept in several cartons which contained fruits. We seized those fruits weighing approximately three tonnes from vendors. Immediately after the seizure, we destroyed and disposed of the fruits.” 

Explaining that such artificially ripened mangoes would give serious health hazards to the general public, he said the officials had warned vendors against adopting artificial methods to ripen the fruits. Severe action was being contemplated against offenders after consultation with top officials in government, he said. 

The provisions of Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on sales) Regulations, 2011, prohibits the use of carbide gas in ripening of fruits. The provision says, “No person shall sell or offer or expose for sale or have in his premises for the purpose of sale under any description, fruits which have been artificially ripened by use of acetylene gas, commonly known as carbide gas.

In the eyes of the law, the ‘Fresh Fruits and Vegetables shall be free from rotting and free from coating of waxes, mineral oil and colours.’