PCMC Cracks Whip On Erring Vendors Using Calcium Carbide In Mangoes

Following complaints of the use of calcium carbide to ripen mangoes, the health department of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation collected samples of different varieties of the fruit from vendors.
Officials said calcium carbide contains traces of arsenic and phosphorous which are harmful for humans. When dissolved in water, calcium carbide produces acetylene gas affecting the neurological system.
The harmful effects of calcium carbide consumption include headaches, dizziness, mental illness and other problems. “Sometimes even dye and colouring agents are used to give bright colours to the fruit,” officials said.
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