Besides the cancer risk associated with the consumption of fruits ripened with calcium carbide, the other adverse health effects include nausea, throat infection, diarrhoea, and burning sensation in the chest and abdomen.

The king of fruits, mango, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. In India, the practice of ripening the fruit by injecting it with calcium carbide, a carcinogen, has drawn attention to the health risks associated with the artificial ripening of fruits. “Are black blotches on the surface of mangoes a tell-tale sign of harmful artificial ripening?” asked a First Check reader. The answer is yes; beware of mangoes with black blotches on the skin.

In a recent circular, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) warned traders, fruit handlers and food business operators against using calcium carbide to ripen fruits. Apart from the cancer risk associated with the consumption of fruits ripened with calcium carbide, the other adverse health effects include nausea, throat infection, diarrhoea, and burning sensation in the chest and abdomen, to name some. This is due to the traces of arsenic and phosphorus found in calcium carbide.

An easy way to detect if mangoes are artificially ripened is to immerse them in a bucket of water. The organically ripened mangoes will settle down at the bottom, while those artificially ripened will rise to the surface. Another difference is that organically harvested mangoes carry a sweet, fruity smell, whereas those harvested artificially have no smell or chemical smell. Lastly, organically harvested mangoes usually have a clean surface, unlike the others.

It’s prudent to buy fruits from trusted vendors, who don’t encourage the use of harmful artificial ripening practices. Stay informed and make healthy choices.

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