Is your mango naturally ripened? Easy tips to check and buy healthy mangoes

Keralites can’t imagine a summer season without enjoying juicy and plump mangoes in various forms. The king of fruits is the perfect snack to nourish and refresh your body during the sweltering summer as well. However, most of the mangoes available in the market these days are ripened with harmful chemicals like calcium carbide. The food safety authority has issued a strict warning against using chemicals to ripen mangoes, as they could cause serious health issues. Here are a few tips to easily identify whether the mangoes are ripened naturally or using chemicals.

Is ripening using chemicals harmful?
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) permits the controlled use of ethylene gas to ripen mangoes. However, chemicals such as calcium carbide are widely used and abused to quickly ripen mangoes. Carbide, when combined with moisture, produces acetylene gas. This gas is what helps the mangoes ripen quickly. 

Health issues
Uncontrolled use of these chemicals may cause headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and eye irritation. Besides, it may even lead to severe conditions like respiratory illness, memory loss and even cancer in some cases.

How can you identify naturally ripe mangoes?
You could identify whether the mangoes were ripened naturally by observing its colour, smell and structure. 
1. Notice the colour: Mangoes that were ripened naturally will not be yellow evenly and their skin would be a mix of yellow and green. However, mangoes ripened using chemicals will be evenly yellow and will have shiny skin. Although the skin may be yellow, the stalk will still be green. 

2. Smell: Naturally ripened mangoes will have an authentic sweet aroma at their stalk. But chemically ripened mangoes will not be that aromatic. You may even get a mild smell of medicines or chemicals. 
3. Touch and feel: Naturally ripened mango will be soft everywhere when you touch it gently with your fingers. However, chemically ripened ones will be softer on the outside but harder on the inside. 

4. Cut the mango: If the insides or the flesh look yellow or orange evenly, then it has ripened naturally. Meanwhile, chemically ripened mangoes will be pale yellow in colour, and the flesh will be harder in some places. 
5. White spots: White or greyish powder-like substance on the skin may be the residue of calcium carbide. It is better to avoid eating such mangoes. 

How to test the mangoes
You could test whether the mango is ripe naturally by dipping it in water. This is, in fact, a simple experiment that can be done easily at home. Pour water into a large vessel and drop the mango into it. Mangoes that are naturally ripened will remain submerged, while the ones that are chemically ripened will float on the surface. (Although this may not be accurate in all instances, this experiment is best for primary testing.)

Local produce
Try to buy mangoes from local farmers or organic fruit shops. Soak the mangoes in salt and turmeric water for some time to remove the chemical residue on the skin. Make sure to peel the skin off before eating. Moreover, it is wise not to choose mangoes just by seeing its attractive colour.