The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered the use of Calcium Carbide – a dangerous chemical – to ripen fruit for commercial purposes.
NAFDAC Coordinator in Sokoto State, Abdulsalam Lawal, who made the revelation on Thursday, warned fruit dealers and sellers against such practices.
Lawal lamented that such practices pose serious health risk to the consumers, especially as fruit consumption has increased during to the ongoing Ramadan fasting.
“With Ramadan fasting, a period of increased fruit consumption, using calcium carbide to hasten the fruits ripening is hazardous to our health,” Lawal lamented.
He explained that only welders are permitted to use calcium carbide for tasks such as melting iron, adding 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 are mostly ripened with calcium carbide in the areas.