Calcium carbide as an artificial fruit-ripening agent and its physiological effects on Wistar rats

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eka Bassey Essien ◽  
Blessing Minaopunye Onyegeme-Okerenta ◽  
Jennifer Obiajulu Onyema
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Ripening ◽  
Wistar Rats ◽  
Calcium Carbide ◽  
Physiological Effects ◽  
Artificial Fruit

Acute and subacute toxicity evaluation of calcium carbide and ethylene glycol in Wistar albino rats

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Markose Bini ◽  
Bhargavan Rajesh ◽  
Thekkekara Devassy Babu
Keyword(s):  
Ethylene Glycol ◽  
Fruit Ripening ◽  
Calcium Carbide ◽  
Preclinical Study ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Toxic Effects ◽  
Albino Rats ◽  
Synthetic Chemicals ◽  
Industrial Grade ◽  
Artificial Fruit

AbstractBackgroundNaturally ripened fruits play a vital role in human nutrition. Under certain conditions, synthetic chemicals like calcium carbide (CaC2) and ethylene glycol (EG) are being freely used illegally in India and other countries for fruit ripening without serious concern on its toxic effects. This preclinical study evaluated the toxicity on different organs after the exposure of industrial-grade CaC2 and EG to the rats.MethodsAcute toxicity was induced by the oral administration of a single dose of chemicals to the rats, and their morbidity and mortality were monitored. For subacute study, different organs of animals were analyzed biochemically and histologically after the exposure of low doses of chemicals for 30 days.ResultsAt an acute dose of 5 mg/kg body weight of CaC2, 85% of the animals were found dead within 14 days; however, no mortality was observed following EG administration. At subacute doses, RBC and hemoglobin levels were found to be declined (p < 0.01), whereas total WBC and platelet counts, especially lymphocytes, were elevated remarkably (p < 0.01). Total protein, albumin, and urea were also found to be increased (p < 0.01). Histopathological observations support the toxicity in rats at higher doses of CaC2 and EG.ConclusionsThe study revealed that the artificial fruit-ripening agents like CaC2 and EG cause toxic effects on the internal organs of rats. The subsequent inflammatory response might have weakened the immune system. This in turn suggests the requisite for urgent measures to regulate the use of harmful synthetic agents in fruit ripening.

PROXIMATE AND ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF BANANA FRUITS (Musa spp) RIPENED WITH VARIOUS CONCENTRATIONS OF CALCIUM CARBIDE.

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Nuhu ◽  
A. Rabi ◽  
H. R. Tukur
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Elemental Analysis ◽  
Fruit Ripening ◽  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Calcium Carbide ◽  
Proximate Analysis ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Musa Spp ◽  
Artificial Fruit

Fruit ripening is a natural process in which fruits go through various physical and chemical changes and gradually become sweet, coloured, soft and palatable. However, in recent years, the use of chemical agents as artificial fruit ripening agents has become prevalent mostly due to the commercial purposes without recourse to their health effects. Calcium carbide is one of such chemicals that is used in ripening fruits because of its cheapness and availability but at the same time it poses lots of potential health problems to health. The aim therefore was to determine the effect of the compound on the nutritional quality and hence otherwise any health effects of consuming such fruits. In this study, Banana fruits of Musa spp were purchased from vendors at station market Kaduna and were subjected to artificial ripening using various concentrations of calcium carbide(0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 M. and adopting similar techniques used by the vendors The result of the proximate analysis revealed that moisture content ranged between(71.52% -74.54%), ash content (0.815% -1.185%), fats content (0.47% - 3.21%), crude protein content (3.33%-2.63%) as well as carbohydrates content (23.67% - 18.44%). The effect of the calcium carbide is the exposure of the fruit to higher moisture content which leads to spoilage and degradation on the nutritional quality of the Banana fruits. However, at lower concentration of the calcium carbide same period of ripening was achieved without much effects on the fruits. The results of the elemental analysis revealed the concentration of Arsenic as (0.010mg/kg-0.071mg/kg) and Phosphorous as (194.50mg/kg- 231.00mg/kg).The values for Arsenic were found to be within the tolerable limit of FAO standard but for Phosphorous the values were higher than the standard and this could be from the fertilisers used for cultivation. The findings indicates that ripening of Banana fruits ( Musa spp) with higher concentration of Calcium carbide pose a great potential health dangers to consumers especially to the nervous system and must therefore be legislated.

scholarly journals A review on the legislative aspect of artificial fruit ripening

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Nazibul Islam ◽  
Mehnaz Mursalat ◽  
Mohidus Samad Khan
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Ripening ◽  
Artificial Fruit

scholarly journals Awareness on Calcium Carbide Ripened Fruits and Recommendations for Toxic Free Artificial Ripening of Fruits

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 2779-2783
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Fruit Ripening ◽  
Calcium Carbide ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Cold Store ◽  
Technical Details

Fruit ripening using calcium carbide became a bad practice by the fruits sellers. Unfortunately calcium carbide being a low priced alternative available to the fruit traders/cold store operators/farmers, other safe methods are not practiced by the fruit producers/sellers. In spite of ban on usage of calcium carbide for the purposes of fruit ripening, several farmers and traders use calcium carbide due to its easy availability and non-awareness of its toxicity on human health. Study is conducted on awareness of these factors among the fruit consumers. About 190 literates gave the feedback, based on which recommendations made for making safe and healthy fruits available in the market for consumers. Initiatives of government of India on these aspects are also discussed. Technical details on ethylene ripening chambers and its maintenance are also presented.

scholarly journals Inhibition or Promotion of Tomato Fruit Ripening by Acetaldehyde and Ethanol is Concentration Dependent and Varies with Initial Fruit Maturity

1997 ◽  
Vol 122 (3) ◽  
pp. 392-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. Beaulieu ◽  
Mikal E. Saltveit
Keyword(s):  
Alcohol Dehydrogenase ◽  
Fruit Ripening ◽  
Tomato Fruit ◽  
Physiological Effects ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Green Fruit ◽  
Short Term Exposure ◽  
Tomato Fruit Ripening ◽  
Fruit Maturity ◽  
Mass Basis

`Castlemart' tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) pericarp discs were used to study the physiological effects of acetaldehyde and ethanol on fruit ripening. Short-term exposure of discs from mature-green fruit to acetaldehyde vapors on a fresh mass basis (≤500 μg·g-1) or ethanol vapors (≤3 mg·g-1) promoted ripening, while higher concentrations inhibited ripening. Discs from mature-green fruit absorbed greater amounts of ethanol and produced significantly higher concentrations of acetaldehyde than discs from breaker fruit. Ripening was promoted by ethanol when the discs were unable to retain or produce a certain level of acetaldehyde. Inhibition of ripening by 4 hours of exposure to ethanol (6 mg·g-1) was almost completely abolished by hypobaric treatments (18 kPa for 24 hours). However, acetaldehyde-induced ripening inhibition (2 days exposure to 180 μg·g-1) was only slightly reduced by vacuum. Concentrations of acetaldehyde and ethanol that inhibited ripening reduced C2H4 production, whereas lower concentrations of acetaldehyde and ethanol that promoted ripening increased C2H4 production. Application of 4-methylpyrazole, an alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor, enhanced acetaldehyde-induced ripening inhibition and reduced ethanol-induced ripening inhibition or promotion at all concentrations of acetaldehyde and ethanol tested. The inhibition or promotion of ripening of excised tomato pericarp discs by ethanol and acetaldehyde depended on initial fruit maturity, applied volatile concentration, and duration of exposure.

scholarly journals Neurodegenerative effects of calcium carbide on the hippocampus of wistar rats

IBRO Reports ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 33
Author(s):  
P.C. Ibeachu ◽  
L.K. David ◽  
T.L. Mark
Keyword(s):  
Wistar Rats ◽  
Calcium Carbide

scholarly journals A legislative aspect of artificial fruit ripening in a developing country like Bangladesh

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Nazibul Islam ◽  
Abul Hasnat Md Sazedur Rahman ◽  
Mehnaz Mursalat ◽  
Asif Hasan Rony ◽  
Mohidus Samad Khan
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Ripening ◽  
Chemical Engineering ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Legal Aspects ◽  
Natural Process ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Ripening Process ◽  
Engineering Research ◽  
Artificial Fruit ◽  
The Government

<p>Fruit ripening is a natural process in which a fruit goes through various physical and chemical changes and gradually becomes sweet, coloured, soft and palatable. However, this natural process can also be stimulated by using artificial fruit ripening agents. Farmers and vendors often use artificial ripening agents to control fruit ripening rate. However, because of the potential health hazard related to the ripening agents, artificial fruit ripening process is highly debateable throughout the world. There are existing laws and guidelines to control artificial fruit ripening process. This article deals with the legal aspects of artificial fruit ripening and fruit adulteration in Bangladesh. Different laws and acts to control and prohibit fruit ripening and adulteration using hazardous chemicals are discussed in detailed here. Laws from different developed and developing countries are also listed and discussed here. Furthermore, the technical and economic issues related to the artificial fruit ripening are addressed in this study. This article aims to develop awareness among different stakeholders since it will take the active participation of the government agencies, policymakers, farmers, vendors and scientists to address different aspects of artificial fruit ripening issues and to provide an effective solution.</p><p>Chemical Engineering Research Bulletin 18(2015) 30-37</p>

scholarly journals Knowledge of Artificial Fruit Ripening Among Consumers in Rivers State

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 436-454
Author(s):  
Elizabeth E. Eze ◽  
Emmanuel. U. Asogwa
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Ripening ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Sampling Procedure ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Artificial Fruit ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Rivers State

The study investigated the knowledge of artificial fruit ripening among consumers in Rivers State. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. Four research questions and three null hypotheses tested at .05 alpha level guided the study. The population for the study was 2,617,600 respondents in fruit markets in Rivers State. A sample size of 1,024 fruit consumers was drawn suing multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected using a validated self-structured questionnaire titled "Knowledge of Artificial Fruit Ripening (KAFR)”. Guttman Split-Half Coefficient of 0.881 was obtained using Pearson Product Moment Correlation in conjunction with Spearman Brown correction statistics. Data were analyzed using percentage, mean, standard deviation, Chi-square, z-test, and One way Analysis of Variance. It was found that consumers had moderate knowledge of artificial fruit ripening in Rivers State. Also, male consumers, those within 31-40 years and those with tertiary education had higher knowledge of artificial fruit ripening. More so, the study revealed significant difference in knowledge among consumers in Rivers State based on gender, age and level of education. Based on the findings, the study recommended among others that; community health workers in Rivers State should organize regular heath education campaigns concerning the dangers of using chemicals for fruit ripening among consumers in Rivers State.   

Chronic exposure of industrial grade calcium carbide and ethylene glycol alter histological architecture of systemic organs by disrupting redox balance in rat

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Markose Bini ◽  
Bhargavan Rajesh ◽  
Thekkekara Devassy Babu
Keyword(s):  
Ethylene Glycol ◽  
Inflammatory Responses ◽  
Calcium Carbide ◽  
Redox Balance ◽  
Arsenic Content ◽  
Industrial Grade ◽  
Artificial Fruit ◽  
Global Concern ◽  
Histological Architecture ◽  
Chronic Doses

Abstract Objectives The threat to human health or the surroundings by the use of artificial fruit ripening agents has become a global concern. Calcium carbide (CaC2) and ethylene glycol (EG) are the two widely using ripening agents. The present study evaluates the toxic effect of chronic exposures of CaC2 and EG in rats. Methods CaC2 and EG were administered to the rats for 180 days orally. The alterations in oxido-reduction status, haematological, biochemical and histopathological parameters were analysed. Arsenic content in CaC2 and animal samples were detected by atomic absorption spectrometer and phosphorus by molybdate-UV method. Results At chronic doses, there were no significant alterations in haematological and biochemical parameters except in creatinine level especially by EG. However, histological details revealed microvesicular fatty change in liver, corpuscles degeneration in kidney and lymphocytes infiltration in various tissues. In intestine, the mucosal lesion scoring was found high (p<0.01). SOD and CAT activities and GSH level was reduced significantly by CaC2 administration (p<0.01). Arsenic and phosphorus detected is above the toxic level: 7.222 and 13.91 mg/dL in CaC2, 1.634 and 6.22 mg/dL in blood and 0.563 and 6.99 mg/dL in liver, respectively. Conclusions The study suggests that the industrial grade CaC2 and EG induce systemic toxicity to rats and the liver is the most susceptible organ. The CaC2 and EG toxicity is mediated through the upset of redox balance and subsequent inflammatory responses. This could be due to the presence of arsenic and phosphorus contents that detected above the normal level in the industrial grade CaC2.

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