Fruits like mangoes can be ripened using agents like ethylene, acetylene or calcium carbide. Of these, the latter is dangerous and is banned in most countries. Wikipedia says it is because calcium carbide has traces of arsenic and phosphorus. Is there any other reason?
Will it still be unsafe if pure calcium carbide is used?
Answer
Calcium carbide is typically used by traders who can't afford a proper infrastructure for fruit ripening (sealed storage locations and gas generators). Carbide stones are put in permeable packets (typically paper bags) and hanged above the fruit boxes, where they absorb water from the air to produce acetylene gas.
This leads to two issues:
- the concentration of acetylene is uncontrolled, and given enough moisture can reach explosive levels
- permeable bags release fine particles of reaction byproducts which land on the fruits
Of course, pure calcium carbide would be safe, at least from the nutrition perspective. You'd still have the risk of explosion though, and because carbide cannot be used safely for fruit ripening, nobody is producing it in food grade in the first place.
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