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FSSAI directs food commissioners to initiate surveillance to prevent use of harmful & banned substances for artificial ripening of fruits & vegetables

Updated: Mar 26, 2019 08:04:36am
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FSSAI directs food commissioners to initiate surveillance to prevent use of harmful & banned substances for artificial ripening of fruits & vegetables

New Delhi, Mar 26 (KNN) The Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed food safety commissioners of all States and UTs to initiate effective surveillance and enforcement activities to rule out any possibility of ripening  fruits with the aid of harmful & banned substances viz. calcium carbide or acetylene gas.

A similar advice has been given for vegetables to check the level of pesticides, said the FSSAI in a notification.

The regulator said that the artificial ripening of fruits by using prohibited substances like Calcium Carbide or Acetylene Gas (Masala in common parlance) poses serious threat to the health of consumers.

According to the regulation 2.3.5 of FSS (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011 provides that “No person shall sell or offer or expose for sale or have in his premises for the purpose of sale under any description, fruits which have been artificially ripened by use of acetylene gas, commonly known as carbide gas.”

Despite prohibition on sale of artificially ripened traits by using calcium carbide, the prevalence of such ripened fruits in market is a serious cause of concern which needs to be tackled effectively, said FSSAI.

Besides this, it has also asked commissioners to conduct a focused and sustained awareness campaign at Mandi level to educate food business operators.

It has also recommended the use of electronic and print media to educate consumers and food businesses regarding this issue. (KNN/YV)

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