Nirmal Fruit traders using carbide to ripen mangos

Artificially ripened fruits take toll on people’s health

Nirmal: Notwithstanding the warning by the government and raids by officials, the fruit traders throughout the district have been extensively using carbide to ripen fruits, thereby playing with the health of consumers.

The Hans India has found that both carbides are being extensively used to ripen fruits like mango, banana, orange, sweet lemon and other varieties. Right from the street vendor to the wholesale trader, everyone is seen using these harmful chemicals to hasten the ripening and to make fast buck.

Talking to The Hans India, Dr Srikanth said that carbide was harmful to the health and people would become sick after eating these fruits ripened with the help of such chemicals.

“It might affect the digestive system and people might face problems like diarrhoea,” the doctor added. He further informed that if the fruits were ripened in three hours, it would seriously affect the health of people within that period.

The traders said that they were ordering for carbide from Nanded and were importing the same from China. “They are available in small packets for Rs 10,” they added.

The harmful chemicals are being used even in cold storages, it is learnt. Though there is no permission to use these chemicals, some traders claim that they have obtained permission to use them to ripen the fruits