• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has alerted traders, fruit handlers, and Food Business Operators (FBOs) to strictly comply with the prohibition on calcium carbide for artificial ripening of fruits, focusing on its excessive use during the mango season.

• FSSAI also advises the Food Safety Departments of States and UTs to take strict actions against person(s) indulging in such practices as per the provisions of FSSAI.

• Due to the dangers, calcium carbide used for ripening fruits has been banned under the Regulation of the FSSAI.

• The authority permits the use of ethylene gas as a safer alternative to Calcium carbide for fruit ripening.

• The ethylene gas treatment of unripe fruits accelerates the natural ripening process until the fruit naturally starts producing ethylene in required quantities.

Click here to read more.