PANAJI
Consider it as a lifestyle change or part of a healthy diet, consumption of fruits has increased considerably in recent years and as demand for fresh fruits rises in summer, cases of artificial ripening of fruits, too, go up.
According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), fruit ripening is a natural process involving multiple physiological, biochemical, and molecular changes. These processes induce changes in the colour, sugar content, acidity, texture, and aroma, but they are time-consuming.
The most common and natural way of ripening is wrapping fruits like mangoes, papaya or bananas in a brown paper and one will find fruit changing colour overnight. Large quantities of mangoes are mostly ripened by placing them under dry grass in hot conditions.
Artificially ripened fruits, however, don’t need a lot of time and hence, vendors opt for the fastest method. The main chemicals that are used are ethylene, acetylene and calcium carbide. These agents alter the chemical structure of the fruit and make them harmful. The fruits that are plucked from trees are kept in the room and that gas is sprayed on them. As the gas enters the fruits, a chemical reaction takes place and they ripen.
Calcium carbide is a commonly used product for ripening fruits like mangoes, bananas, etc.
According to the FSSAI, calcium carbide has been banned under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.
The FSSAI on the other hand promotes use of Ethylene gas for artificial ripening of fruits.
What FSSAI says
The use of carbide gas or acetylene gas is not permitted for the artificial ripening of fruits under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011due to the potential health hazards.
Ethylene gas can be used for the artificial ripening of fruits at a concentration of up to 100 ppm Ethylene plays a vital role in the natural ripening of fruits. It is a hormone produced naturally within the fruits to stimulate the ripening process.
Consumers should purchase fruits from known sellers/reputed stores/dealers who declare that the fruits sold have not been ripened using harmful/banned chemicals. Ethylene, being a natural hormone does not pose any health hazard to consumers.
