Task force, food inspectors seize artificially-ripened mangoes

Hyderabad: a joint operation, the sleuths of the task force, along with food safety officers of GHMC and local police, conducted raids on various fruit warehouses in the city. They seized a huge quantity of Rs 13.55 lakh worth artificially-ripened mangoes, which were ripened using harmful carbide and ethylene.

On Tuesday, the teams raided a fruit shop in Mangalhat under Habeebnagar police station and apprehended the owner, E. Rameshwar (60). They confiscated 65 trays of hazardous mangoes, along with 1.300 kg of carbide powder sachets and 90 sachets of ethylene ripener worth Rs. 4.55 lakh.

On the same night, the teams raided another fruit shop owned by Syed Mastaan (34) in Chaderghat and seized 22 packets containing 100 sachets weighing 6.6 kg, along with other materials worth Rs 96,000.

Similarly, on March 15, the teams arrested Irfan Irfan Khan (35), owner of New Liberty Fruit, and Mohd Hussain (47), owner of Lucky Fruit Shop, in Sultan Bazar. They confiscated 26 trays of mangoes ripened using ethylene ripener, amounting to Rs 3 lakh.

On the same day, the teams raided Jhalak Miya Fruit Godown in Bahadurpura, arrested the owner Syed Zahoor (36), and seized 93 trays of ripened mangoes along with ethylene ripeners, weighing 860 kg, and 21 packets, all valued at Rs. 4,10,000.

According to S. Rashmi Perumal of Task Force, the teams have also arrested Syed Aslam (32) of Moghalpura, and seized 400 kg of mangoes and ethylene.

Speaking to media persons, Rashmi Perumal said: “The arrested individuals confessed to supplying the fruits to various fruit shops and juice centres in twin cities. Due to the high demand for fruits during the current holy month of Ramzan and the marriage season, they resorted to using harmful artificial ripeners such as ethylene and calcium carbide, breaching FSSAI guidelines.”

She said the accused were using illegal methods of storage and to ripen mangoes, which pose serious health hazards to consumers. It can cause respiratory and skin ailments when used in excessive quantities. Chemicals such as calcium carbide can lead to severe health problems like skin burns, irritation, inflammation, and lung irritation when inhaled, while arsenic in mangoes can cause heavy metal poisoning and other neurological diseases.

They also intentionally employed harmful chemical substances illegally for personal gain, deceiving innocent consumers and violating FSSAI guidelines, she said.

The accused, along with the seized property, were handed over to the respective police stations for further investigation, Rashmi Perumal said.