The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has warned the public that consuming drugs from hawkers and eating fruits that have been ripened with calcium carbide are both extremely dangerous and may result in death.
This was said on Tuesday during the keynote address by Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of NAFDAC, at the media awareness workshop on the “Dangers of Drug Hawking and Ripening of Fruits with Calcium Carbide” that was held in Awka, the capital of Anambra State.
According to Adeyeye, the chemicals in calcium carbide are harmful to unborn babies and young children and can cause seizures, excessive sleepiness, headaches, dizziness, mood swings, mental confusion, and memory loss.
In order to educate locals about the risks and dangers associated with such acts, NAFDAC organized the program for the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists, South-East Zone.
Dr. Leonard Omokpariola, Director of Chemical Evaluation and Research at NAFDAC, who attended the event in Adeyeye’s place, read her speech.
She declared, “We must avoid eating fruits that have been ripened with calcium carbide because they may lead to cancer, heart failure, kidney failure, and liver failure.
“In general, calcium carbide contained impurities that pose a number of serious health risks, including arsenic, lead particles, phosphorus, and others.
Fruits that have been exposed to calcium carbide during the ripening process may result in frequent thirst, mouth and nose irritation, weakness, permanent skin damage, difficulty swallowing, vomiting, and skin ulcers.
“You can tell if a fruit has been artificially ripened if the fruit is all yellow and the stem is dark; this is especially true of banana and plantain. In addition, fruits that have been artificially ripened tend to have powdery residue and peel off quickly, whereas naturally ripened fruits typically have brown or black spots.
The DG noted that since 2019, the agency had taken some significant actions, including educating the public through various media outlets, enforcing laws through intelligence, and conducting raids in fruit markets that resulted in the seizure and destruction of illegal goods.
She continued by saying that the agency had commissioned a scientific investigation to determine the best strategy for reducing the health risks associated with the use of carbides in the ripening of fruits.
The artificial ripening of fruits would result in a significant loss of qualities like color, taste, and texture, and this practice does not impart the fruits’ natural aroma and flavor.
She continued, “These fruits have a relatively short shelf life, lack uniform color, and are less juicy than when ripened naturally.
She continued by describing how the acetylene produced by calcium carbide would have an impact on the nervous system, reduce oxygen delivery to the brain, and ultimately cause prolonged hypoxia.
The participants learned about organic ways to ripen fruit.
