Is mango juice safe? “rotten, maggot-eaten” mangoes for pulp extraction seized in Gujarat; video may disgust you | Today’s news
Is your favorite summer drink, mango juice, safe to drink? A recent video by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has raised concerns about the food safety and quality of commercially sold juices.
After the food safety department flagged “artificial ripening of mangoes” in Guwahati, the FSSAI said on Wednesday that the Gujarat Food Safety Authority has cracked down on the wholesale production of mango juice in Mehsana.
During the inspection, enforcement teams in the city seized massive stocks of mangoes infested with fungi and insects, FSSAI said on Wednesday.
The statutory body shared a video on X showing insects inside a “severely rotten” fleshy mango that was supposed to be used to extract the juice.
FSSAI said in a post on X: “Enforcement teams of the Gujarat Food Safety Authority discovered and seized a massive stock of mangoes meant for juice extraction. The mangoes used for juice extraction were found badly rotted, worm-eaten and visibly infested with fungi and insects.”
Strict enforcement action has been taken against violators, FSSAI wrote on Facebook.
According to the Free Press Journal, the Mehsana Food and Drug Department raided a warehouse run by Patidar Ras Kendra, a wholesale mango supplier based in Mahadev Industrial Park near Nugar village.
The facility allegedly prepared large quantities of mango pulp and juice for distribution to the market.
Acting on a tip-off, Food Safety Inspector VJ Chaudhary and his team conducted a surprise inspection of the warehouse, the report added.
During the operation, officials discovered large stocks of spoiled mangoes, many of which were infested with maggots.
A total of 2,025 kilograms of rotten mangoes were seized and destroyed at the site, the Free Press Journal reported, adding that 230 grams of prepared mango juice found at the facility was also disposed of.
Earlier, the Assam Food Safety Department said, “A surprise fruit surveillance drive was conducted today at Fancy Bazaar in Guwahati.” Artiofficial mango ripening using calcium carbide was detected again. The entire supply of mangoes was destroyed at the GMC dump.
