By It is no secret that bananas and many other fruits are ripened by using chemical sprays. calcium carbide-induced ripening is continuing but that’s not the only agent that’s been used by fruit sellers.
Ministry of Health – Environmental Health, Occupational Health, and Food Safety Division Director Dr V.T.S.K. Siriwardena told the media that ethylene gas is been used to ripen fruits. However, the method of use is questionable as liquid Ethylene is mixed with water and sprayed directly on the fruits. The recommendation is that Ethylene should be sprayed to the enclosure but not directly onto the fruit said Dr Siriwardana.
The use of such ripening agents on fruits and certain vegetables needs to be regulated State Minister of Co-operative Services, Marketing Development, and Consumer Protection Lasantha has asked the Industrial Technology Institute and the Consumer Affairs Authority to come up with an action plan after discussing the matter with other line ministries.
S.D.T. Maduwanthi and R.A.U.J. Marapana of the Department of Food Science and Technology, the University of Sri Jayewardenepura who published a paper on fruit ripening recommended that ripening rooms should be used to apply ethylene gas, where the room is temperature- and humidity-controlled and ethylene gas concentration is regularly monitored.
