The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has revealed the use of Calcium Carbide, a hazardous chemical, in the artificial ripening of fruits for commercial sale.
NAFDAC Coordinator in Sokoto State, Mr Abdulsalam Lawal, who made the revelation known on Thursday, warned fruit dealers and sellers against such practices.
Lawal lamented that such practices pose risk to people’s health especially as fruit consumption has increased due to the ongoing Ramadan fasting.
Lawal urged fruit dealers and sellers to stop the dangerous practice, which he said was harmful, stressing that it posed serious risks to public health.
He warned that the use of calcium carbide could lead to severe health issues, including kidney damage, cancer, hypertension, and even terminal diseases.
”With Ramadan fasting, a period of increased fruit consumption, using calcium carbide to hasten the fruits ripening is hazardous to our health,” Lawal stated.
He explained that only welders were permitted to use calcium carbide for tasks such as melting iron, and that NAFDAC would increase surveillance to ensure that it’s being used properly and not sold to fruit vendors.
He said fruits such as mango, banana, pawpaw, water melon and others were mostly ripened with calcium carbide in the areas.
