Friday, February 27, 2026 - The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has uncovered the use of Calcium Carbide, a dangerous chemical to ripen fruit for commercial purposes.
NAFDAC Coordinator in Sokoto State, Mr Abdulsalam Lawal, who
made the revelation known on Thursday, warned fruit dealers and sellers against
such practices.
Lawal lamented that such practices pose risk to people’s
health especially as fruit consumption has increased due to the ongoing Ramadan
fasting.
Lawal urged fruit dealers and sellers to stop the dangerous
practice, which he said was harmful, stressing that it posed serious risks to
public health.
He warned that the use of calcium carbide could lead to
severe health issues, including kidney damage, cancer, hypertension, and even
terminal diseases.
”With Ramadan fasting, a period of increased fruit
consumption, using calcium carbide to hasten the fruits ripening is hazardous
to our health,” Lawal stated.
He explained that only welders were permitted to use calcium
carbide for tasks such as melting iron, and that NAFDAC would increase
surveillance to ensure that it’s being used properly and not sold to fruit
vendors.
He said fruits such as mango, banana, pawpaw, water melon
and others were mostly ripened with calcium carbide in the areas.
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