The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has warned Nigerians to shun consumption of fruits ripened with calcium carbide.
Calcium carbide is a material most commonly used for welding purposes.
The agency gave the warning on Monday in Abuja in a statement signed by its management, saying that dangerous effects of carbide-ripened fruits include cancer and other illnesses such as heart, kidney and liver failure.
“NAFDAC hereby warns farmers and the general public about dangers of using calcium carbide for ripening fruits such as banana, mango, plantain, orange and cashew,” the management said.
On how to identify carbide-ripened fruits, the management said that “naturally ripened fruits usually have brown or black spots, while those artificially ripened have traces of powdery substances and peel off quickly.”
The Agency further warned that “ripening fruits and vegetables with calcium carbide is a criminal offence,” adding that henceforth, perpetrators would be prosecuted.
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