Illegal calcium carbide fruit ripening persists in Kohima markets, exposing consumers to serious health risks despite nationwide food safety ban.
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KOHIMA — The use of calcium carbide for artificial fruit ripening continues unabated in local markets in Kohima, with the practice described by some vendors as an “open secret” within trading circles.
Independent findings by Eastern Mirror indicate that the chemical is commonly used to accelerate fruit ripening to meet market demand—an unspoken practice that is increasingly emerging as a serious public health concern.
Calcium carbide is a hard, greyish-black reactive solid that produces acetylene gas when it comes into contact with water. It is primarily used in metal cutting, welding and steel manufacturing, and is produced by heating calcium oxide and carbon in an electric arc furnace.
In the food trade, particularly among fruit vendors, calcium carbide is reportedly procured from hardware shops and used mainly for ripening fruits such as mangoes and Jahaj bananas.
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A hardware shop owner from PR Hill in Kohima told this newspaper that calcium carbide is supplied in iron containers, from which particles are sold in kilogram quantities at around INR 200 per kg.
A woman fruit vendor confided that she routinely uses calcium carbide to ripen Jahaj bananas transported from nearby districts, which usually arrive unripe. The bananas are packed into boxes or sacks, sealed airtight and stored for several days before being sold—a method she described as a common but undisclosed practice.
According to her, the chemical allows vendors to plan sales and manage inventory. Without it, ripening Jahaj bananas naturally is time-consuming, and the fruits often fail to achieve an appealing appearance.
However, she shared that calcium carbide does not suit local banana varieties, as it makes them overly soft and adversely affects taste.
Maintaining that the practice is widespread among fruit vendors, she said that fruits emit a strong odour when removed from airtight containers, often causing headaches and leaving a lingering smell on the hands. To minimise exposure, vendors typically use masks and gloves while handling such fruits.
She further revealed that, to avoid detection, the fruits are kept in open air or storage for several hours after treatment before being displayed for sale, allowing the smell to dissipate.
Another fruit vendor revealed that Jahaj bananas are difficult to ripen naturally, as they are transported from neighbouring states through dealers and transporters and often arrive unripe.
To manage daily sales and prevent spoilage, vendors resort to batch-wise ripening using calcium carbide to achieve marketable texture and appearance within a shorter time, he said.
Bananas and mangoes, vendors shared, are the two fruits most commonly subjected to artificial ripening.
The discreet nature of the practice, confined within vendor circles and lacking regulatory oversight, prevents consumers from being aware of the risks involved.
Existing advisories
While no specific public advisory from the government of Nagaland could be traced, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has repeatedly cautioned against the use of calcium carbide for fruit ripening and directed state food safety authorities, including those in Nagaland, to strictly enforce the ban.
On May 18, 2024, FSSAI issued an advisory to traders, fruit handlers and Food Business Operators (FBOs) operating ripening chambers to ensure strict compliance with the prohibition on calcium carbide, particularly during the mango season.
State and Union territory food safety departments were instructed to remain vigilant and take stringent action against violators under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and related regulations.
The FSSAI warned that calcium carbide releases acetylene gas containing harmful traces of arsenic and phosphorus—commonly referred to as ‘masala’—which can cause dizziness, excessive thirst, irritation, weakness, difficulty swallowing, vomiting and skin ulcers.
Acetylene gas also poses hazards to handlers, and calcium carbide may come into direct contact with fruits, leaving toxic residues. Consequently, its use for fruit ripening has been banned under Regulation 2.3.5 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011.
The regulation explicitly states: “No person shall sell or offer or expose for sale fruits which have been artificially ripened by use of acetylene gas, commonly known as carbide gas.”
As a safer alternative, the FSSAI has permitted the use of ethylene gas for fruit ripening at regulated concentrations, as it is a naturally occurring plant hormone that initiates and controls the ripening process.
Additionally, the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB & RC) has approved Ethephon 39% SL for uniform ripening of mangoes and other fruits. The FSSAI has also issued a guidance document titled ‘Artificial Ripening of Fruits – Ethylene Gas, a Safe Fruit Ripener.’
In the absence of a robust advisory and enforcement mechanism within the state, the continued use of banned chemicals raises serious concerns, underscoring the need for urgent regulatory vigilance.