Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Delhi govt bans use of calcium carbide for ripening fruits

It's a well-known fact that mangoes are ripened with calcium carbide by traders and this can prove to be toxic.
Delhi govt bans use of calcium carbide for ripening fruits
The Delhi government has banned the use of calcium carbide for artificial ripening of fruits, recognising its harmful effects of health, and suggested ethylene gas as an alternate technique.

To promote a natural and safe way of ripening fruits, the Delhi government will soon organise a special campaign to educate and spread awareness among fruit traders and merchants. They would be taught how to use ethylene to ripen fruits.

The decision was taken in a meeting at Delhi Secretariat on Monday (20-June-2011) to discuss alternative techniques for ripening fruits.

Ashok Kumar Walia, the Delhi health minister said that the special team from (PFA) the department of food adulteration will be sent to meet fruit traders to create awareness.

Walia said that ethylene gas is safe for ripening fruits which is used by several agencies like Mother Dairy and Safal. He added that fruits that are used with ethylene are having good color and better shelf life.

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