Food Quality Department Finds No Calcium Carbide Used in Mango Ripening in Madhesh Province

Janakpur. The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control under the Ministry of Health and Food Hygiene has stated that no prohibited calcium carbide was found to be used for ripening mangoes in joint inspections conducted in various districts of Madhesh Province.

According to the department, a site inspection of various fruit shops and warehouses in Lahan, Siraha, regarding the use of ripening agents found no use of calcium carbide. Businesses have been instructed to purchase and sell only fruits with labels or stickers on imported fruits, not to ripen fruits unnaturally, and to use approved ripening agents in a way that does not directly contact the fruits.

Similarly, the department stated that rapid pesticide residue tests conducted on vegetables and fruits collected from local vegetable markets in Nawalpur and Lalbandi, Sarlahi, on Asar 3, found all samples to be within standards.

Likewise, inspections conducted in wholesale and retail mango markets in Lalbandi, Nawalpur, Chandrapur, and Gaur in Sarlahi and Rautahat also found no use of calcium carbide for ripening fruits, the department stated. Businesses have been instructed to use only approved ripening agents, to use them in a way that does not directly contact fruits, and to maintain food hygiene.