the officials from the FDA conducted a surveillance and inspection drive on Thursday , at the Mapusa subyard to check for artificial and chemical ripening of fruits, which is illegal.
During the checks a wholesale fruit shop was found to have stocked chemically ripened bananas weighing about 800 kgs. It is not known if the bananas were locally produced or brought in from another state and the names of the accused were not made known.
according to FDA Chemical liquid ethaphone which was illegally used for the ripening of the bananas was also seized from the shop and the banana stock sprayed with chemicals was destroyed with the help of the Chief officer of Mapusa Municipality,
Sources said consumption of such artificially ripened fruits could be dangerous, particularly affecting and harming children more severely. More details are awaited, regarding the registration of a case and the other legal action taken against the accused.
The artificially and illegally ripened banana stock destroyed by the FDA was worth approximately Rs. 65000/- in the wholesale market. In addition to the bananas, other fruit samples were drawn from the area and sent to the food laboratory for further testing, the FDA said.
FDA sources revealed such raids and surveillance drives would be undertaken all over Goa to detect artificial ripening of fruits during the season.
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