The Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) has issued a press release on its SOP on artificial ripening of fruits. This press release was issued on 11th March. 2023.
FSSAI has reiterated its ban on calcium carbide in artificial ripening of fruits. Moreover, acetylene gas released from calcium carbide is equally harmful to food handlers.
Therefore,in order to ensure that fruit ripening is strictly regulated, as per permitted practices and through the use of only approved sources of ethylene. FSSAI has approved ethylene as a safe ripening agent at concentrations up to 100/ppm.
It may be recalled that FSSAI has already issued an SOP on on Artificial Ripening of Fruits with Ethylene Gas.
However, despite these instructions FSSAI has observed that traders are using prohibited material such as calcium carbide, or improperly using approved sources of ethylene gas like dipping the fruits in ripening agent solutions which may render the fruits unsafe for human consumption.
Hence, all the traders’/fruits handlers/FBOs operating ripening chambers are directed to strictly comply with the above directions. Any such incidences shall be dealt stringently and serious action will be taken against the person(s) indulging in such unlawful practices.
Further, in case any use of Calcium carbide (Masala) or any wrong practice of using ripening agents for artificial ripening of fruits is noticed by the consumers, the same may be brought to the notice of concerned State Commissioners of Food Safety for taking action against such violators.
