Considered the “king of fruits”, mangoes are occupying prime places on shelves in markets across the State. Your favourite summer fruit may be a store house of harmful chemicals in the garb of a bright yellow colour!
The issue of artificial ripening happens because of the way market is structured. Mango that comes into the market first gets sold at higher price. This brings a tendency to pull in mangoes as fast as possible, ripen them artificially and sell them off as soon as possible. So to ripen them fast, the market uses calcium carbide, that is not only a banned product; it is also hazardous to human beings as it causes cancer.
Popular among mango producers as 'masala', calcium carbide is a toxic chemical commonly used in gas welding. But traders across the country use it for artificially ripening fruits as it is cheap and easily available.
Considered to be carcinogenic, the use of calcium carbide has been banned by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
It is a point to note that calcium carbide does not ‘ripen’ mangoes. It is important for customers to understand that ripening is a biochemical reaction. When the fruit reaches maturity, it starts producing ethylene gas, along with slowly breaking down acids in the fruit, and converting starch into sugar. It is not humanly possible to accelerate this natural biochemical reaction in the fruit.
What calcium carbide does for mangoes is that it produces acetylene gas, which creates heat. Acetylene’s main application is in welding and as a fuel. When generated from calcium carbide, acetylene contains toxic impurities that affect the neurological system. When acetylene fills up the box of mangoes, it heats the fruit from outside. Mangoes start losing their green colour and turn yellow from outside.
Another reason cited for the use of carbide is that naturally ripe mangoes have shorter shelf life. Calcium carbide provides traders the freedom to ripen mangoes according to demand and distribute it in markets at their will.
Traders say, adding carbide improves the cosmetic look of mangoes, giving an uniform colour and texture which helps attract customers .Just one kilogram of this substance, brought for as little as Rs. 30, can ripen around 10 tonnes of fruits.
Other less-common methods include the use of Ethiphon, a pesticide in liquid form which is diluted and sprayed on the fruits, and Oxytocin, a hormone injected into the fruits.
"According to our Food Safety and Standards Prohibition Regulation, artificial ripening of mango or any fruit by calcium carbide is strictly prohibited. Calcium carbide has a very bad effect on our nervous system,'" explains former FSSAI director Pradip Chakraborty.
The use of calcium carbide for ripening fruits is banned and the offence carries a prison term ranging from six-months to life and a fine ranging from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh. The jurisdictional police can also arrest the offenders.
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