The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took action against fruit traders at the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) for artificially ripening mangoes using ethylene/ethephon. A total of 146 dozen mangoes were seized by the FDA team.
Following complaints from a political party, a team consisting of five food safety officers raided the APMC premises in Navi Mumbai and seized 146 dozen of mangoes worth Rs 75,500 from Sunil Dhondiba Rane, Ghulam Fruit Enterprises, and Dnyaneshwar Shivram Gawde's shop.
The officials also collected samples of the artificially ripened fruit and sent them for analysis. The use of calcium carbide for fruit ripening has been banned by the Food Safety and Standards regulatory authority due to its harmful effects on human health.
