The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a warning to traders, fruit handlers, and Food Business Operators (FBOs) using ripening chambers to rigorously adhere to the ban on calcium carbide for artificial fruit ripening, especially during the mango season. FSSAI further urges the Food Safety Departments of States/UTs to maintain vigilance and take decisive action against individuals involved in such illegal practices in accordance with the provisions of the FSS Act, 2006, and related regulations.
Calcium carbide, frequently employed in ripening fruits such as mangoes, emits acetylene gas containing harmful traces of arsenic and phosphorus. These substances, referred to as ‘Masala’, pose significant health risks including dizziness, persistent thirst, irritation, weakness, difficulty swallowing, vomiting, and skin ulcers. Moreover, handling acetylene gas is equally perilous. There’s a risk of direct contact between calcium carbide and fruits during its application, potentially leaving residues of arsenic and phosphorus on the fruits.
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Because of these hazards, the utilization of calcium carbide for fruit ripening is prohibited under Regulation 2.3.5 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011. This regulation expressly declares, “No individual shall trade, offer, display for sale, or possess for sale in any manner, fruits artificially ripened using acetylene gas, commonly referred to as carbide gas.”
Given the widespread misuse of banned calcium carbide, FSSAI has approved the use of ethylene gas as a safer substitute for fruit ripening in India. Ethylene gas can be applied at concentrations up to 100 ppm (100 l/L), varying based on the crop, variety, and maturity stage. Ethylene, a naturally occurring hormone in fruits, orchestrates the ripening process by initiating and regulating a cascade of chemical and biochemical reactions. Treating unripe fruits with ethylene gas jumpstarts the natural ripening process until the fruit begins generating ethylene independently in significant amounts.
Moreover, the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB & RC) has granted approval for Ethephon 39% SL to facilitate the consistent ripening of mangoes and various other fruits.
FSSAI has released a detailed guidance document advising Food Business Operators on the protocol for artificially ripening fruits. This document presents a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) encompassing all facets of fruit ripening using ethylene gas, including constraints, specifications for Ethylene Ripening System/Chamber, handling procedures, Ethylene Gas sources, protocols for application from different sources, post-treatment procedures, and safety protocols.
If consumers observe any use of Calcium Carbide or any improper use of ripening agents for artificial fruit ripening, they are encouraged to report the matter to the respective State Commissioners of Food Safety for appropriate action against the offenders.
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