Safety standards for artificial ripening

The seizure of a large quantity of mango illegally ripened with calcium carbide in Guwahati by Food Safety Department officials has put the spotlight on the artificial ripening of fruits and the lack of awareness of it among consumers and fruit business owners. The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) permits the use of ethylene gas for the artificial ripening of fruits. The food regulator, however, prohibits the use of calcium carbide or acetylene gas for the artificial ripening of fruits because of their potential health hazards. Boosting local production of fruits can reduce demand for fruits from cold storages outside the region that are released in Guwahati and other markets in the state after ripening with calcium carbide to meet market demand. The FSSAI Guidance Note on artificial ripening of fruits states that globally, artificially ripened fruits are considered safe for human consumption if the process is done with safe ripening agents like ethylene gas under prescribed conditions. The process allows the transportation of fruits like mango, banana, and papaya to faraway places in unripe condition to avoid loss during transit and storage and to be artificially ripened at destination markets before sale, it explains. It cautions that calcium carbide contains traces of arsenic and phosphorus, which are harmful for humans and may cause dizziness, frequent thirst, irritation, weakness, difficulty swallowing, vomiting, skin ulcers, etc. “Ethylene is a hormone naturally produced within the fruit and regulates fruit ripening by initiating and controlling a series of chemical and biochemical activities. The treatment of unripe fruits with ethylene gas triggers the natural ripening until the fruit itself starts producing ethylene in large quantities,” elaborates the FSSAI advisory on why it permitted the use of ethylene gas as a ripening agent to prevent rampant and illegal use of calcium carbide. Even if these scientific details are known to consumers or retail fruit sellers, it is not possible for them to find out if fruits available in the markets are artificially ripened with prohibited acetylene gas released by calcium carbide or with ethylene gas permitted by FSSAI. The Food Safety Department believes that putting in place an effective system of monitoring the artificial ripening process undertaken by food business owners in real time is essential to ensuring that only safe ripening agents are used. Introducing a system of putting a declaration on fruit boxes released to the retail market stating that fruits contained in those were artificially ripened using ethylene gas permitted by FSSAI and safe for consumption will be beneficial for consumers. The availability of fruit boxes with such a declaration will make consumers take precautions and refuse to buy ripened fruits sold without any such safety tags. Such a system also needs to cover locally produced fruits to prevent the use of calcium carbide to artificially ripen locally grown fruits during transit to Guwahati and other major fruit markets in the state. The availability of ethylene gas at an affordable cost is of paramount importance to ensure its use as a safe and legal alternative to calcium carbide. The Standard Operating Procedure issued by FSSAI for the use of ethylene gas requires the construction of artificial ripening chambers with temperature and humidity regulation systems with provisions for proper air circulation and ventilation. As the construction of such a ripening chamber involves substantial costs, traders and food business operators go for using calcium carbide crystals in fruit boxes during transportation, which is much cheaper. The government’s facilitation of the construction of artificial ripening chambers will motivate fruit traders to stop using calcium carbide applications and go for safer alternatives. The FSSAI advisory also includes guidelines for the natural ripening of fruits using traditional methods. The popular process of natural ripening includes individually wrapping fruits harvested at optimum maturity with paper and keeping them in layers of paddy husk or straw for 4 to 6 days at room temperature. Increasing local fruit production and promoting this low-cost and safer ripening process can ensure the availability of fruits in markets located closer to the farms. Annual production of fruits in the state has increased to 25 lakh MT, but due to a lack of the required cold chain, major markets like Guwahati must depend on fruits supplied from other states. The average daily consumption of fruits in the state is much less than the requirement of 100 grams as recommended by the Indian Council of Medical Research for the supply of adequate nutrients. Nevertheless, the demand for ripe fruits has substantially increased with the increase in demand for fruit juice, fresh fruits at home or in hotels and restaurants among health-conscious urban residents. A two-pronged approach of promoting the use of ethylene for artificial ripening of fruits supplied from outside the state, boosting production of locally grown fruits, and popularising natural ripening is a pragmatic approach to preventing the sale of unsafe fruits in Guwahati and other markets. The food safety department, remaining vigilant against carbide use and building awareness of the harmful effects of it, is the need of the hour.