The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has served notices on a total of 26 traders in Coimbatore for violations in the artificial ripening of mangoes this year.
Food Safety Officers inspected a total of 746 shops and wholesale fruit storage facilities in Coimbatore district between January 1 and June 25 this year. A total of 26 traders were found using ethylene sachets for ripening mangoes in an unapproved way and notices were served on them.
The FSSAI seized a total of 152.25 kg of artificially ripened mangoes valued around ₹9,880 and destroyed them. The food regulator also imposed a total fine of ₹52,000 on the offenders.
T. Anuradha, Designated Officer for FSSAI in Coimbatore, said all the violations found in inspections carried out during the peak mango season this year involved the use of ethylene sachets as a ripening agent in unapproved way. Calcium carbide, which had been used rampantly in the past, was not detected this year.
Dr. Anuradha said ethylene can be used as a ripening agent but it should not come in direct contact with mangoes or any other fruit.
According to the FSSAI, placing ethylene sachets inside mango trays is not an approved way of using it as a ripening agent. Ripening agents should be used in chambers where they do not come in direct contact with fruits.
Published – July 07, 2025 07:50 pm IST
