TRICHY: Food safety department officials on Saturday seized 4,000 kg of artificially ripened mangoes from private godowns at Gandhi Market in Trichy.
A team of nine food safety officials led by the district food safety officer Dr R Ramesh Babu conducted a surprise inspection in 10 godowns.
At least three godowns were found to having used ethylene for artificially ripening the mangoes.
Samples were lifted from the seized mangoes for testing and to initiate legal action against the perpetrators under the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The traders had applied the chemical directly on the surface of the mangoes.
“Applying the chemical directly on the skin of mangoes is unhealthy.
The traders confessed to their offence.
We seized and destroyed 4,000 kg of mangoes,” Dr Ramesh Babu said.
Trichy: 4k kg of artificially ripened mangoes seized
