Why is it in the News?

Food regulator FSSAI has asked traders and food business operators not to use the banned product 'calcium carbide' for ripening of fruits.

What is Calcium Carbide?

• Calcium carbide is a hazardous chemical that can have adverse effects on human health.
• It is a colourless, odourless substance that reacts with moisture to produce acetylene gas, which is a known carcinogen.
  • This gas can cause respiratory problems, eye irritation, and even skin burns.
• In addition, calcium carbide also contains traces of arsenic and phosphorus, which are toxic substances that can lead to serious health complications.
• Calcium carbide is a commonly used chemical compound in the agriculture industry, especially for ripening fruits.
• It is a cheap and easily available substance that is widely used by fruit vendors and farmers in India to speed up the ripening process of fruits such as mangoes, bananas, and papayas.
• Due to these dangers, the use of calcium carbide for ripening fruits has been banned under the Regulation of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011.
  • This regulation explicitly states, "No person shall sell or offer or expose for sale or have in his premises for sale under any description, fruits which have been artificially ripened by use of acetylene gas, commonly known as carbide gas".

Ethylene gas as a safer alternative:

• Considering the issue of rampant use of banned calcium carbide, FSSAI has permitted the use of ethylene gas as a safer alternative for fruit ripening in India.
• Ethylene gas can be used at concentrations up to 100 ppm, depending upon the crop, variety and maturity.
  • Ethylene, a naturally occurring hormone in fruits, regulates the ripening process by initiating and controlling a series of chemical and biochemical activities.
• The treatment of unripe fruits with ethylene gas triggers the natural ripening process until the fruit itself starts producing ethylene in substantial quantities.
• Further, the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB & RC) have approved Ethephon 39 per cent SL for the uniform ripening of mangoes and other fruits.