Omanghana
The Food and Drugs Authority has cautioned farmers, traders and market vendors against using unapproved chemicals to accelerate the ripening of plantains, bananas, mangoes and other fresh produce.
The warning follows renewed concerns about the suspected use of chemical agents to force fruits to ripen quickly ahead of market days. The practice allows sellers to bring produce to market sooner but may leave unsafe chemical residues on food.
The FDA’s latest intervention followed a viral video allegedly showing a chemical being used to ripen plantains at the Medina Market in Accra.
Preliminary investigations conducted with the Environmental Health Unit of the La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal Assembly identified the product shown in the video as Ethemax, a plant growth regulator. The authority warned that using such products improperly, at incorrect concentrations or on crops for which they are not approved could compromise food safety.
Regulatory action is reportedly being taken against individuals found to have participated in the unauthorised sale, distribution or use of the product.
The FDA has also previously warned against industrial calcium carbide, another substance associated with the artificial ripening of fruits. Calcium carbide releases acetylene gas when exposed to moisture, producing an effect similar to the natural ripening hormone ethylene.
Industrial-grade calcium carbide may contain harmful impurities capable of generating arsenic compounds and phosphine gas. Exposure may cause irritation of the mouth and throat, nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, headaches and dizziness.
The severity of any reaction depends on the chemical involved, its concentration, the level of exposure and the health of the affected person.
Consumers who experience persistent vomiting, severe abdominal pain, breathing difficulties, unusual weakness or other concerning symptoms after eating suspected contaminated fruit should seek medical attention. They should also inform healthcare professionals about the food consumed and the suspected exposure.
The FDA stressed that not every method of assisted fruit ripening is unsafe. Ethylene is a naturally occurring plant hormone, and controlled ripening systems using approved products can be employed safely when handled by trained operators according to authorized instructions.
The primary concern is the use of industrial substances, unregistered products or approved chemicals applied at the wrong concentration or on produce for which they were not intended.
Consumers have been advised to buy fruits from trusted sellers and wash fresh produce thoroughly with clean, potable water before eating or preparing it. Peeling fruit may reduce some surface contamination, but it cannot guarantee the removal of chemicals absorbed into the produce.
Although unusually uniform coloring, green stems, hard flesh or rapid deterioration may raise suspicion, appearance alone cannot reliably determine whether fruit has been treated with a prohibited chemical. Laboratory testing is needed to confirm contamination.
The public should therefore avoid relying on unverified home tests promoted on social media. Consumers must also not attempt to neutralize suspected chemicals or induce vomiting after possible exposure unless instructed by a qualified health professional.
Farmers and traders have been encouraged to use only products approved for the specific crop and purpose. They must follow label directions, observe the prescribed concentration and comply with any required waiting period before the produce is sold.
Natural ripening methods, including keeping mature fruits in appropriate covered and ventilated environments, remain safer options when properly managed. Approved ethylene-based systems may also be used under controlled conditions.
The FDA said it would intensify market surveillance and food-safety education to prevent the misuse of agricultural chemicals within the fruit supply chain.
Members of the public who suspect the use or sale of unapproved ripening agents have been encouraged to report the matter to the FDA or the appropriate environmental health authorities rather than confronting vendors directly.
The authority’s warning reinforces the responsibility of farmers, distributors and traders to ensure that efforts to accelerate ripening do not endanger consumers.
The FDA’s latest position and the preliminary identification of the product involved in the Madina incident were reported in this food-safety update.
Source: Omanghana
