The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has cautioned fruit sellers against using calcium carbide to artificially ripen fruits, warning of severe health risks.
Sokoto State NAFDAC Coordinator, Abdulsalam Lawal, issued the warning on Monday, February 24, during a public awareness campaign at a fruit market in Sokoto.
He urged traders to abandon the harmful practice, citing its potential to cause kidney damage, cancer, hypertension, and other life-threatening illnesses.
“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 clarified that calcium carbide is meant for welding and melting iron, not for food processing.
NAFDAC, he added, would intensify surveillance to prevent its misuse among fruit vendors.
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He also noted that mangoes, bananas, pawpaws, and watermelons were among the fruits commonly ripened with the chemical in the region.
The Chairman of the Association of Fruit and Vegetable Marketers and Distributors in Sokoto, Alhaji Bello Danda, urged traders to embrace safer ripening methods and warned that those found using calcium carbide would face penalties.
He also demonstrated alternative ways to ripen fruits in large quantities without endangering consumers.
He pointed out that the market attracts buyers from across Nigeria and neighbouring countries, emphasising the need for strict adherence to safe food practices.
The awareness campaign, which began on February 18, has seen NAFDAC engage fruit sellers across various locations on the dangers of chemical ripening.