Kolhapur: The Kolhapur unit of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will conduct an inspection drive to identify mangoes ripened by using carbide and take strict action against the traders involved in the practice.
Assistant commissioner M S Kembalkar of the FDA told TOI on Wednesday that the mango ripened by using carbide is harmful to health and the chemical is banned under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006 and Regulations (FSSR), 2011.
He said the mango season is about to start and the department will take strict action against the traders found using carbide. "Some traders use this short-cut to artificially ripen the fruit. Carbide is a carcinogenic substance and one should refrain from using it," he said.
Kembalkar appealed to the mango traders to disengage from any such activity and inform the FDA if they find anyone using carbide.
Another FDA official said that every year, such inspection drives are carried out across the city, during which mango boxes with carbide packets are destroyed immediately.
"In the last few years, artificially ripened mangoes worth lakhs of rupees have been destroyed," he said, adding that the banned chemical must not be used.
Jayan Watave, a medical practitioner, said, "The use of calcium carbide turns the outer skin of the fruit yellow and even makes it saffron, but , the inner portion remains unripe. The fruit looks ideal for consumption but the sweetness is missing. Carbide kills the sugary content and every other nutrient before the fruit goes into the human body."
A city-based general physician said that not only mango but any fruit ripened using artificial methods causes health problems. "People should refrain from eating such fruits. Carbide is a carcinogenic substance that has toxic effect on the body. Its long-term effects are not proven, but it is potentially very harmful."
Prakash Vichare, a veteran paediatrician, said that not only mangoes, but any fruit ripened with the help of carbide is harmful for human beings.
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