Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has warned Nigerians against the consumption of fruits ripened with calcium carbide.
According to NAFDAC, consuming such fruits can lead to cancer, kidney diseases and liver problems.
Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye stated this during a “Media Sensitisation Workshop on the Dangers of Drug Hawking and Ripening of Fruits with Calcium Carbide” for select media practitioners from select states in the South-East and South South Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The NAFDAC boss who was represented by the Director, Chemical Evaluation and Research, Dr Leonard Onokporiola, said that the use of chemicals to ripen fruits was more pronounced among sellers of bananas, plantain and mango.
Professor Adeyeye gave insights on how to identify artificially-ripened fruits, saying “they are ripe on the skin, the inside remains unripe.”
“You can identify such artificially ripened fruits if you notice that the fruits are all yellow whereas the stem is dark, this is true especially with banana and plantain. In addition, naturally ripened fruits usually have brown or black spots, while those artificially ripened have traces of powdery substances and peel off quickly.
“Calcium carbide generally contains impurities such as arsenic, lead particles, phosphorus, etc., that pose several very serious health hazards.
“Consumption of fruits containing these impurities may cause cancer, heart, kidney and liver failure.
“They may also cause frequent thirst, irritation in mouth and nose, weakness, permanent skin damage, difficulty in swallowing, vomiting, skin ulcer and so forth.
“Higher exposure may cause undesired fluid build-up in lungs (pulmonary oedema).
“Acetylene produced by Calcium Carbide affects the neurological system and reduces oxygen supply to the brain and further induces prolonged hypoxia.
“The impurities are hazardous to pregnant women and children and may lead to headache, dizziness, mood disturbances, mental confusion, memory loss, cerebral oedema (swelling in the brain caused by excessive fluids), sleepiness, seizure etc.
“Calcium Carbide is alkaline in nature and erodes the mucosal tissue in the abdominal region and disrupts intestinal functions.
“Consuming such artificially ripened fruits could result in sleeping disorders, mouth ulcers, skin rashes, kidney problems and possibly even cancer.
“Other symptoms of poisoning include diarrhoea (with or without blood), burning or tingling sensation in abdomen and chest difficulty in swallowing, irritation in eyes/skin, sore throat, cough, shortness in breathing, numbness etc.”
The NAFDAC boss further decried the activities of drug hawkers, describing them as merchants of death.
NAFDAC vowed to clamp down on all those involved in the harmful practice.
“Many drug hawkers are knowingly or unknowingly merchants of death who expose essential and Life Saving Medicines to the vagaries of inclement weather which degrade the active ingredients of the medicine and turn them to poisons thus endangering human lives.
“Most of the drugs sold by the illiterate and semi-literate drug hawkers are counterfeit, substandard or expired, and do not meet the quality, safety and efficacy requirement of regulated medicines.”
She regretted that “prescription drugs are also sold by the itinerant drug hawkers who also hold consultation, recommend and prescribe medicines to their gullible patients.”
According to NAFDAC, “drug hawkers are also the major distributors and suppliers of narcotic medicines to criminal networks such as armed bandits, insurgents, kidnappers and robbers.”
NAFDAC also said that drug hawkers constitute serious threat to national security.
The NAFDAC boss solicited the cooperation of relevant security agencies and stakeholders as well as members of the public to support the ongoing efforts to eradicate the menace.
The agency warned that severe consequences await the perpetrators of the illegal practice.
