The Food Safety Department has conducted raids at multiple banana and fruit godowns in the capital city of Bhubaneswar following allegations of using chemicals to accelerate the ripening of fruits before sending them to the market.

A special team of the department reportedly carried out simultaneous raids at several fruit storage facilities. In the first phase, around 15 godowns were inspected. During the raids, several bottles of chemicals were allegedly seized from the premises.

According to information gathered during the inspection, Ethephon was allegedly being used to accelerate the ripening of raw bananas and other fruits. The department is investigating whether the chemical was being used in violation of food safety regulations.

The allegations suggest that instead of allowing raw fruits to ripen naturally over an appropriate period, chemicals were being used to speed up the process and facilitate their early supply to the market.

The Food Safety Department’s special team inspected the ripening practices at the godowns and checked the fruits stored there. Samples of bananas and other fruits were collected for testing. The seized chemical substances are also being examined to determine their composition and whether their use was permissible.

Officials are expected to take further action based on the results of the tests and the findings of the inspections. The raids are part of efforts to check unsafe food practices and ensure that fruits supplied to consumers meet prescribed food safety standards.

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