How to Detect carbide/artificially ripened mangoes

More than 90% of mangoes currently flooding the markets in India are being artificially ripened using a dangerous process of carbide stone . This provides instant golden skin colouration, leaving high residues of carbide which is a lethal poison . This video helps buyers identify such mangoes and create awareness amongst public so that they can avoid such fruits.

Natural ripening process involves keeping the raw mangoes in straw/gunny bags for 3-4 days. This process provides uniform colouring across the skin, and the fruit is fully ripe from within as well. Since this is time consuming, and subject to higher wastage , traders wating to make quick buck are resorting to the carbide stone method.

Though government is trying to take steps, due to lack of awareness amongst public, this practise is growing unchecked. The only way to stop this is to ensure that end buyers are made aware of how to detect and avoid such fruits as ultimately they end up paying for poison.

In summary , carbide ripened fruits have tell tale signs of patches of green on the skin, where the mango was not exposed to the stone. It will also have no smell. A naturally ripened mango has good smell and has washed shades of green/orange/yellow intermixed.

Have you ever wondered where those 'legendary' ooty carrots actually came from ? And how they cleaned, graded and packed them ? Our recent field trip took us to a carrot cleaning unit where we were amazed to see carrots going up conveyor belts, coming down in contraptions which were like roller coasters. Have a look ...