The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has warned fruit dealers and sellers against using calcium carbide on fruit ripening for commercial purposes.
The warning was made by the NAFDAC Coordinator in Sokoto state, Mr Abdulsalam Lawal, during a public awareness campaign at a fruit market on Monday in Sokoto.
Lawal urged fruit dealers and sellers to stop the dangerous practice, which he noted was harmful, stressing that it posed serious risks to public health.
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He warned that the use of calcium carbide could lead to severe health issues, including kidney damage, cancer, hypertension, and even terminal diseases.
With Ramadan fasting approaching, a period of increased fruit consumption, using calcium carbide to hasten the fruits ripening is hazardous to our health, Lawal stated.
He explained that only welders were permitted to use calcium carbide for tasks such as melting iron and that NAFDAC would increase surveillance to ensure that it was being used properly and not sold to fruit vendors.
He said fruits such as mango, banana, pawpaw, watermelon and others were mostly ripened with calcium carbide in the areas.
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Alhaji Bello Danda, Chairman of the Association of Fruit and Vegetable Marketers and Distributors in Sokoto, advised fellow sellers to adopt hygienic methods at all times.
He warned that violators of this process would face penalties.
Danda demonstrated how mangoes, bananas, and watermelons could be ripened safely in commercial quantities without posing harm to consumers.
He noted that the fruit market was widely patronised by people from all parts of Nigeria as well as neighbouring countries.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ongoing awareness exercise commenced on February 18 and the NAFDAC team has held discussions with marketers at various locations on related issues.
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