Safe Procedure: Use Ethylene to artificially ripen mangoes

Ethylene being a natural hormone, it does not post health hazards unlike Carbide which is banned under Food Safety and Standards Regulations.

Hyderabad: Storing raw mangoes in a rice container for two to three days to naturally ripen the king of fruits is an age old trick that every Indian household practices in summer. However, such an option is not practical for food business operators and traders, who take the short cut of exposing the fruit to industrial carbide, which is wrong in every way as it contains traces of arsenic and phosphorous that are harmful for humans.

If you are an entrepreneur who is looking for a safe option to ripen fruits, then Food and Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has advised to employ ethylene (C2H4) for the purpose. The FSSAI also released SOPs for the use of ethylene as a safe ripening agent for seasonal fruits like mangoes.

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“Ethylene is a hormone naturally produced within the fruit and regulates fruit ripening by initiating and controlling a series of chemical and biochemical activities. The treatment of unripe fruits with ethylene gas triggers the natural ripening until the fruit itself starts producing ethylene in large quantities,” FSSAI said.

Calcium carbide contains traces of arsenic and phosphorus which is harmful for humans and may cause dizziness, frequent thirst, irritation, weakness, difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, skin ulcer, etc. The acetylene gas released from calcium carbide is equally harmful for handlers. There are chances that calcium carbide may come in direct contact with fruits during application and leave residues of arsenic and phosphorus on fruits.

Ethylene gas can be used for artificial ripening at a concentration of up to 100 ppm (parts per million) and being a natural hormone, ethylene does not post any health hazard for consumers. On their part, consumers must purchase fruits from known sellers, reputed stores and dealers who declare that fruits sold have not been ripened using harmful carbide, FSSAI, added.

Key points

1. Ethylene can be used to artificially ripen fruits

2. It is a hormone produced naturally in fruits to stimulate ripening process

3. Ethylene gas cylinders, compressed ethylene gas, ethanol, ethephon can be used

4. Ethylene being a natural hormone, it does not post health hazards

5. Use of Carbide gas to ripen fruits is banned under Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011