Waking up to the reality of widespread use of Calcium Carbide (CaC2) to ripen fruits in Hyderabad and elsewhere, the State government has now made it mandatory for fruit vendors to give an undertaking that they won’t sell fruits ripened with the chemical.
The government has also given orders to malls, departmental stores, kiosks, fruit stalls to clearly display posters declaring ‘Use of Calcium Carbide for ripening of fruits in injurious to health’ on their premises.
The State government has urged municipal bodies and officials from Commissioner of Food Safety to engage traders and other stake holders on effectively prohibiting the sale and use of Calcium Carbide.
The Food Safety (Prohibition and Restriction in Sale) Regulations 2011 bans persons from selling fruits ripened by acetylene gas or Calcium Carbide.
From now on, vendors have to provide assurance to regulatory authorities that the fruits sold from their stalls are not ripened artificially by using CaC2.
‘Conduct frequent checks’
The State government has directed the Institute of Preventive Medicine and Commissioner of Food Safety to conduct frequent and surprise inspections of commercial establishments selling fruits to ensure implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, which bans use of Calcium Carbide.
