Moneycontrol news April 25, 2024
In summers, as the demand for mangoes increases, sellers often inject the raw fruit with calcium carbide, which releases acetylene gas after it comes into contact with moisture.
The use of calcium carbide can cause the mangoes to ripen quickly, but it can also lead to serious health risks for people such as skin irritation, respiratory problems, and gastrointestinal issues if ingested.
Here are six tips to help you identify if a mango has been ripened artificially.
Check the colour of the mangoes. Artificially ripened mangoes will have green spots on it and one can identify them.
Check the size of the mangoes. Chemically ripened mangoes are small in size and are likely to be found dripping juice.
Submerge the mangoes in water before consumption. Mangoes that sink in water are naturally ripe, those that float on top are ripened with chemicals.
You can also touch the mangoes to check if they are naturally ripe. The mango is considered ripe when it becomes soft, but if you feel the mango hard in some places, then it may be that the mango is not ripe properly and it is being sold after injecting it with chemicals.
Try smell the stem of the mango, if it smells fruity and sweet, there's a good chance it’s ripe. If it smells sour or alcoholic, it’s most likely spoiled.
Check for spots. Naturally ripened mangoes have brown spots, while the ones ripened with chemicals will have blue or white spots.