The Department of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today confiscated nearly 440 kgs of artificially ripened mangoes, costing over Rs 1.20 lakh from the Panjim municipal market.

The FDA officials early morning conducted a surprise surveillance drive at municipal market on the detection of mangoes being artificially ripened using chemicals and during the drive inspected the consignments of almost ten different wholesalers.

In the first consignment, as many as 400 kgs of alphonso mangoes were confiscated as they were artificially ripened using ethephon chemical. The value of the fruit is worth Rs 1.20 lakh.

The consignment was brought in rickshaw from Vengurla in Maharashtra and was tested positive for ethephon chemical. The mangoes have been confiscated so that they can be safely disposed. A case is booked under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 against the rickshaw owner, who transported it.

Another box of artificially ripened deogad mangoes, which were un-claimed, was also confiscated. The FDA also seized 10kgs of turmeric powder containing artificially synthetic colour, brought to ripen mangoes.

The FDA officials have been constantly conducting surprise surveillance visits at the Panaji, Mapusa, Siolim, Margoa, Vasco and Ponda markets, however, these drives did not yield much success in the detection.

Team TNV