|
Fruits and vegetables are highly nutritious and form as key food commodity in the
human consumption. They are highly perishable due to their low shelf life. These
food commodities are reported to be contaminated with toxic and health hazardous
chemicals. Chemicals like calcium carbide / ethephon and oxytocin are reportedly
being used in fruit and vegetable mandis / farms for artificial ripening of fruits
and for increasing the size of fruits and vegetables respectively. Calcium carbide
more commonly known as ‘masala’ is a carcinogenic agent and banned under PFA Rules,
1955. Ethephon is a pesticide and so it is not recommended as a ripening enhancer.
Oxytocin is a mammalian hormone, used as a drug in veterinary services which is
not advised for use in fresh fruits and vegetables.
Rule 44-AA of the PFA Rules, 1955 prohibits the use of carbide gas for ripening
of fruits.
“Rule 44-AA Prohibition of use of carbide gas in ripening of fruits:- 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.
” Ministry of Agriculture has clarified that the fruits are exposed to ethylene
gas (fruit ripening plant hormone) in low concentration of 10-100 ppm exogenously
to trigger their ripening. It is considered safe in the concentration varying from
0.001- 0.01% depending upon the crop, variety and maturity. There is no specific
provision in PFA for ripening agents.
Many instances have been reported that some unscrupulous elements are following
the practise of dipping green vegetables in artificial colours to give them a fresh,
attractive and pleasant appearance. PFA prohibits use of colours in fruits and vegetables.
As per rule 48-E of the PFA Rules, 1955, fresh fruits and vegetables shall be free
from rotting and also from coating of waxes, mineral oils and colours. However,
there is provision for coating fresh fruits with food additive viz. bee wax (white
/ yellow) carnauba wax or shellac wax as glazing agent in accordance with the Good
Manufacturing Practice for use of food additives under proper label declaration
as defined in sub-rule (ZZZ) (24) of Rule 42.
|