Artificially ripened fruits where Calcium carbide is used is inimical not only to sound and good health, but also dangerous to the consumer by rendering the fruits poisonous due to the hazardous nature of acetylene gas, phosphorus and arsenic that forms when calcium carbide reacts with water.
Sequel to the ripening of fruits and vegetables saga, NAFDAC Borno State, like all other States immediately swung into action by intensifying surveillances, roundtable discussions, enlightenment campaigns with focus on sensitizing all relevant stakeholders on the dangers and ill-effect of possible use of calcium carbide to ripen banana and other fruits and vegetables.
According to the State Coordinator, Mr. Nasiru Mato, this move becomes necessary amidst public speculations and rumors; thus, the need for a well-coordinated and collaborative effort to deal with the situation.
In a move to revert and stop the negative trend of unacceptable destructive artificial possible method of ripening fruits, exclusive intelligence gathering per excellence has boosted the efforts of NAFDAC Borno State Office to unravel a warehouse facility meant for artificial ripening of banana.
NAFDAC alongside personnel from the Department of State Services (DSS) conducted the exercise recently in Maiduguri as part of collaborative efforts to address health concerns. Meanwhile, samples have been drawn for investigative analysis.
According to Mr. Mato, so far concurrently, NAFDAC Borno State Office is relentlessly looking at the issue with greater emphasis on evidence-based and multifaceted approaches and intelligence gathering to get to the root, hence the involvement of all critical stakeholders to mitigate the problem and in assisting to take further necessary regulatory actions.
