CONTENTS
- Calcium Carbide
Calcium Carbide
Context:
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has alerted traders’/fruits handlers/Food Business Operators (FBOs) operating ripening chambers to strictly ensure compliance with the prohibition on calcium carbide for artificial ripening of fruits, particularly during the mango season.
Relevance:
Facts for Prelims
About Calcium Carbide
Chemical Composition:
- It is a compound with the chemical formula CaC2 and is also known as ‘masala’.
Common Use:
- Commonly used for ripening fruits like mangoes, it releases acetylene gas containing harmful traces of arsenic and phosphorus.
Manufacturing Process:
- Manufactured by heating a lime and carbon mixture to 2000 to 2100°C (3632 to 3812°F) in an electric arc furnace.
Regulation:
- Prohibited under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulation, 2011.
Application
Industries:
- Used in mining and metal industries, as well as in the production of acetylene gas.
Fruit Ripening:
- Highly reactive and releases acetylene gas, which is used to artificially ripen fruits.
Health Impacts
Health Risks:
- Can cause serious health issues such as dizziness, frequent thirst, irritation, weakness, difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, and skin ulcers.
- Acetylene gas is equally hazardous to those handling it.
Residue Risks:
- Calcium carbide may come into direct contact with fruits during application, leaving residues of arsenic and phosphorus on the fruits.
