GUWAHATI: A team of officials from Food and Safety Department, Kamrup (M) district has seized huge quantity of chemically treated mangoes and papayas in Fancy Bazaar area during a raid carried out on May 17.
During the raid, the officials inspected a godown inside a fruit shop owned by one Binod Das and found out that mangoes and papayas were ripened using calcium carbide.
The officials had seized around 22.5 quintals of mango and 2 quintals papaya which was later destroyed.
It should be mentioned that fruits that are treated with carbide, a fruit ripening harsh chemical, helps the fruits ripen in 24 hours.
Consumption of carbide treated fruits can often lead to health hazards like stomach pain, skin diseases and even cancer.
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What happens when fruits are treated with carbide:
• Fruits that are artificially ripened with carbide tend to be softer to simulate appearance and feel of naturally ripened fruits. However, as is expected from chemically treated edibles, they taste inferior and have a disappointing flavour.
• Because the chemical is used to provide a cosmetic lift, it only makes the fruit appear ripe from the outside while the inside still remains green or raw.
• Fruits that are extremely raw need to be given a higher dosage of calcium carbide and this can make the fruit even more tasteless, and sometimes, toxic.
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