As the mango season begins, police have uncovered unsafe chemical ripening practices in Hyderabad. A team from Goshamahal police station arrested 32-year-old fruit trader Kunal Nokatwale after a raid near Balkishan Mandir in Chudi Bazar on April 3, NDTV reported.
Police said the trader was using “Diamond Ripe – Ethylene Ripener” to speed up the ripening of mangoes before selling them in the market. During the raid, the police seized four packets of the chemical, 25 bulk bags and about 200 kg of mangoes.
The report states that food safety regulations allow only five bags of ethylene ripener for every 20 kg of mangoes. However, the accused was allegedly using six bags per 20kg tray, exceeding the limit set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. The case was registered under sections related to adulteration of food, cheating and endangering public health.
B. Sravan Kumar, SHO of Goshamahal police station, told NDTV about the case: “The accused used more chemicals than the permissible limit to ripen mangoes quickly and make illegal profit. Such acts can endanger people’s health. We will continue strict checks in markets and warehouses.”
The case comes at a time when mangoes are arriving in Hyderabad markets in large numbers. Police and food safety officials have warned that some traders are using chemicals to make the fruit look bright yellow and ready for sale.
As the use of chemicals is considered a serious health hazard, Hyderabad CP VC Sajjanar urged the public to be cautious while buying mangoes this summer.
‘The king of fruits should not become the fruit of fear’
“The king of fruits should not become a fruit of fear. Don’t buy a mango just because it looks shiny or bright yellow. A chemically ripened fruit may look good on the outside but can still be harmful on the inside,” he said.
Officials noted that naturally-ripened mangoes usually have uneven coloring, while chemically-ripened mangoes often appear uniformly yellow and can emit a strong odor. Doctors warn that eating such fruit can lead to throat irritation, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhea. In the long term, repeated consumption can also affect the nervous system and breathing. Police urged the public to report any suspicious storage or chemical ripening of fruit to the nearest police station.
