Use of Carbide for ripening of Mangoes: The Food and Drugs Administration newly raided fruit vendors for using harmful carbide powder to fasten the maturing of fruits. About 306 kg mangoes were engaged in and destroyed by the officials on whom the powder was used.
M S Deshpande, Assistant commissioner, FDA, said that wholesale outlets at the firm Mahesh kumar Banomal Fruit Suppliers and Commission Agent was raided by a team of FDA as they were using carbide powder for ripening of mangoes. The team seized the 306kg mango stock worth Rs. 6750 and carbide powder from the spot and destroyed them as per the provisions of the Act concerned. He also said strict action would be taken against the firm once the analysis report of the seized samples was received.
A punishment of five years in jail or a fine up to Rs. 5 lakh could be awarded if found guilty. Deshpande declared that FDA would continue its raids on fruit sellers in an attempt to discourage them from using carbide for artificial ripening of fruits.”
MUST KNOW:
- Ripening is a process in fruits that causes them to become more palatable. In general, a fruit becomes sweeter, less green, and softer as it ripenscarbide is also used for ripening fruit artificially in some countries.
- When carbide comes in contact with moisture, it produces acetylene gas, which is quite similar in reaction to the natural ripening agent ethylene.
- Acetylene acts like ethylene and accelerates the ripening process, but is inadvisable because calcium carbide has carcinogenic properties.
- Industrial-grade calcium carbide may also contain traces of arsenic and phosphorus which makes it a human health concern. The use of this chemical for this purpose is illegal in most countries.
