Officials crack down on illegal chemical banana ripening units in Udupi village

A team of officials led by the assistant commissioner of the Kundapur sub-division in Udupi district raided multiple locations in Alevoor village following reports of an illegal chemical banana-ripening network on Thursday morning.

During the raid, authorities seized 5,000 kg of raw banana bunches valued at ₹4 lakh, along with chemicals, artificial colors, and equipment used for artificial ripening. Police said a case has been registered. Action was initiated following specific intelligence that chemically treated bananas were being supplied to local shops, weekly markets, and daily vendors in and around Udupi, they said. The joint team targeted three warehouses belonging to banana traders and stockists simultaneously in Kemthur (Alevoor village) and the nearby Duggili area near Manipal. The raiding team included assistant commissioner Rashmi SR, food and health inspection officer Vivek Thirumala, Tahsildar P Gururaj, village accountants Kartik Bhat and Vijaya, and food inspector Leelananda.

Rashmi said that the raid started simultaneously in three locations on Thursday morning. During the operation, authorities discovered that traders were using harmful chemicals and artificial coloring agents to artificially ripen bananas and enhance their appearance. Officials seized ripening chemicals, coloring substances, processing equipment, and vehicles utilized in the illicit operation. Rashmi added that officers also noticed several buckets during the raid, which were allegedly used to dip raw bananas into the seized chemicals.

Rashmi reprimanded the workers present at the facility during the raid. When asked if their conscience allowed them to compromise public health, one worker responded that they had been carrying out the same operation for the past 20 years. She explained that the illegal operation utilized two primary methods: dipping raw banana bunches into drums filled with chemical solutions or spraying chemicals directly onto the produce. These chemicals reportedly cost between ₹2,000 and ₹4,000 per liter. The chemical application causes raw bananas to ripen overnight or within two days before distribution.

History of usage since 2016

In 2016, the Principal Civil Judge Court in Udupi issued an injunction against an illegal banana storage warehouse operating near residential homes on Rampura-Kemthur Road for using banned calcium carbide. Local resident M Sharath Kumar had filed a lawsuit in the Udupi court citing severe health issues among neighborhood residents. However, despite the court order a decade ago, the illicit trade has continued.

SOPs for ripening

Prof Iddya Karunasagar, adviser at Nitte University, and former food safety officer at the FAO of the UN, based in Rome, explained that fruit trade involves transporting fruits over long distances. However, highly perishable fruits like mango, papaya, banana and others cannot be stored and transported over long distances after ripening because they tend to spoil. To avoid spoilage during transportation, traders generally harvest raw fruits and ripen them artificially. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) permits the use of ethylene gas for artificial ripening. Ethylene gas can be generated from various sources. However, due to its high cost and scarcity, traders often resort to unsafe and banned ripeners like carbide gas, which can be potentially harmful to health, officials said.

To address this issue, SOPs detailing all aspects of artificial ripening, ethylene gas and its reliable sources are provided.

The Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011, prohibit the use of carbide gas or acetylene gas for artificial ripening due to potential health hazards. Ethylene gas is permitted for artificial ripening. Ethylene plays a crucial role in the natural ripening of fruits. It is a hormone naturally produced within the fruits to stimulate the ripening process. Since ethylene is a natural hormone, it poses no health hazard to consumers. External application of ethylene gas generated from various sources such as ethylene gas cylinders, compressed ethylene gas, ethanol, ethephon and others can be used on fruits to trigger the ripening process. However, any source of ethylene gas coming into direct contact with fruits is not permitted. Lastly, consumers should purchase fruits from known sellers, reputed stores or dealers who declare the use of ethylene gas for ripening.

Health hazards

Health experts warn that these chemicals penetrate beyond the peel and adversely affect the fruit itself. It can have several health issues.

Vivek T, food safety officer, Udupi district said that chemical that are found at the spot are used to fast growth of plant. Use of such chemical in the ripening process can lead to risk cancer, trigger early adulthood and others.