Banana Reciepe

The very aspect of having a banana is so healthy and after a meal for digestion or when hungry for enegry. But of recent years and of lately there is a very dangerous trend in India and also in the south asia countries where to cater to the huge demands and make quick money , wholesale banana traders and sellers have started using very highly toxic, carciogenic cancer causing chemicals to ripen the bananas and also to make them look yellow from the dark green plantains that is removed from the farms.

The use of chemicals for this process has caused many a problem for the sellers as well as the indivduals who are moslty not aware of the process that is being used to have that ripening done ever so quickly.

The common chemicals that is being used is the I qoute this from an article in The hindu  Online edition of India’s National Newspaper

Thursday, Jul 29, 2004

Natural process of fruit ripening is accelerated by using certain chemicals. Here, calcium carbide is used. When carbide is dissolved in water it produces acetylene, an analogue of ethylene, a natural fruit-ripening agent.

The ripening process is accelerated since acetylene imitates ethylene. Since the amount of carbide needed to ripen the immature fruit is more it makes the fruit become more tasteless and toxic. Presence of trace amount of arsenic and phosphorous in carbide makes the healthy fruits poisonous.

One can distinguish the artificially ripenened fruit by the uniform skin colour in fruits like tomato, mango, papaws, etc and in the case of banana, yellow colour fruit with dark green stem.

P. Mariappan,
J.J. College of Arts and Science,
Pudukkottai, TamilNadu

The process of artificial ripening involves calcium carbide containing traces of arsenic and     phosphorus dissolved in water, and further producing acetylene gas that affects the neurological system of the consumer of bananas, resulting in headache, dizziness, mood disturbances, sleepiness, mental confusion and even seizures on a short-term basis. The continuous consumption of such chemically treated fruits can cause memory loss and cerebral edema.

The actual process of natural ripening of fruits requires around five to six days, while with the use of carbide gas the fruits can be ripened within 24 to 36 hours.

Then comes the ever healthy state of Punjab facing the same problem

The District Health Officer of Batinda was also called to the market. A migrant labourer than took him to a pesticide shop from where they used to buy these harmful chemicals to ripen bananas. The shop owner revealed its name as Crimpone.

According to sources, fruit traders ripen about two truckloads of fruits daily with the aid of chemicals. PAU expert Dr Anirudh Thakur said earlier traders used to keep a small amount of calcium carbide to ripen fruits, which was banned. He said the chemical that fruit traders were using to ripen fruits were normally used for growth of their plants and it is called Ethaphone.

According to rules 44 of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules 1955, no fruit can be ripened with the aid of calcium carbide, but the city traders are seem to be hardly bothered about these norms. Sources said there were about half-a-dozen stores in the city where fruits were ripened with chemicals.

The DHO, Dr Kasturi Lal, said the department would throw away the fruits ripened with chemicals and bottles of chemicals seized from stores would be sent to lab for testing. He said that they had already collected eight samples of mangoes and bananas for testing. Sources said chemicals were also being used in maturing mangoes early.

The sources said every year the city residents consume 70,803 quintals bananas ripened in harmful chemicals, while this figure stood at 37,020 quintals in case of mangoes.

Meanwhile, PAU had collected samples of cauliflower, cabbage and ladyfinger from the region in which the quantity of quinalphose was found to be 0.25 mg more, which was above danger mark. According to agricultural experts, about 8,000 tonnes of pesticides are being used in the state every year.

Article from expressindia.com
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/ban-bears-no-fruit-vendors-still-dish-out-chemicals/329774/.

Acetylene is believed to affect the nervous system by reducing supply to brain.

The compound is also used for welding purposes but fruit sellers have no qualms in using it to ripe fruits.

Dr Satpal Mehra, a retired official from the Punjab Agricultural University, said, “I went to Ghumar Mandi to buy fruits. To my shock, all the shops were selling artificially ripened fruits. Ripening of fruits with certain chemicals is permissible for they are not harmful for human brings. However, calcium carbide can cause health problems. The sad part was the entire market was selling such fruits without any fear.”

A fruit seller on the condition of anonymity said, “This is a usual practice as ripening with calcium carbide is quicker. Moreover, this artificial ripening is done by the wholesalers. We just sell the fruit that comes to us.”

Dr J S Randhawa, Head of Department of Horticulture, PAU, said, “In the absence of any checking agency, the fruit sellers continue to use calcium carbide. The Government of India has allowed the use of ethephon for ripening of fruits for it is less harmful.” Dr Randhawa added, “The use of calcium carbide is common as small packets of this chemical are made and kept with fruits. As the fruit absorbs moisture, the chemical emits ethane gas which helps to ripe the fruit. However, ripening with this chemical is not uniform and this chemical sticks to the surface of the fruit which when eaten can create a lot of health problems. In case of ethephon, the ripening is slightly cumbersome for the fruit sellers have to either dip the fruit in a solution of this mixture or pass fumes of this chemical through the fruits.”

Dr Randhawa adds, “The chemical is mainly used to ripen mangoes during this time of the year. Other fruits that are ripened include bananas and plums.”

Early symptoms of arsenic and phosphorous poisoning include

• vomiting
• diarrhea with or without blood
• burning sensation of the chest and abdomen
• thirst
• weakness
• difficulty in swallowing and speech
  
• garlic like odour of breath
• numbness of the legs and hands
• general weakness
• cold and damp skin
  
• low blood presuure.

Look before you eat

Wash the fruits thoroughly before consuming. Keep these under running water for a few minutes, so that the chemicals are washed away.

· Do not buy fruits when these arrive in the mandis before the due period. You can be almost sure that they are artificially ripened for better marketing and earning profits.

· While eating mangoes and apples, cut the fruit into pieces, rather than consuming directly.

· What looks attractive outside may not be good for health. Fruits that have a uniform colour, for example, a bunch of bananas having a uniform colour, are more likely to have been artificially ripened.