Are You Eating Fruit Ripened With Calcium Carbide? Here’s What to Know
Key takeaways:
Some fruit growers use calcium carbide to ripen fruit artificially. This is more common in regions outside the U.S.
Calcium carbide is known to have dangerous side effects. But this is a bigger concern for farm workers who come into direct contact with it.
If you’re buying fruit in the U.S., you probably don’t have to worry about side effects of calcium carbide. But there are still a few things you can do to avoid any potential harmful exposures.
Table of contents
Calcium carbide (CaC2) is a chemical that’s used to ripen fruit. Ripening chemicals are used to keep fresh fruit available, even when it’s not in season. But calcium carbide is risky to use because it’s hazardous to human health. And reports of the use of calcium carbide have increased in recent years, mostly in developing countries. This article explains how calcium carbide is used to ripen fruit and how to avoid the risks linked to it.
How is calcium carbide used to ripen fruit?
When calcium carbide is mixed with water, it releases acetylene gas. Acetylene gas acts as a fruit ripener. It has a similar activity to ethylene, a natural hormone that fruits produce. Ripe fruits release this gas — this is the reason why some fruits ripen quicker when you store them with other fruits.
Ethylene gas is also applied to fruit as an artificial ripener. It’s approved by the U.S. National Organic Standards Board, which makes guidelines for organic fruit standards. Ethylene is much safer than acetylene and calcium carbide.
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Are there health risks associated with calcium carbide?
There are several health risks associated with calcium carbide and acetylene gas.
One risk of eating fruit ripened with calcium carbide is due to contamination. Calcium carbide is made to process metal and industrial chemicals. It’s not intended to be used in food preparation. Because of this, it includes other chemicals that are toxic to humans, especially arsenic and phosphine.
Exposure to these chemicals can cause side effects like:
Mouth and nose irritation
Nausea and vomiting
Thirst
Dizziness
Fatigue
Skin problems
Kidney failure
Workers in fruit production who have heavy exposure to calcium carbide have had serious health problems. These include:
Pulmonary edema, a condition where fluid builds in the lungs
Cardiac arrest, when the heart suddenly stops
Colon and prostate cancer
Other risks are with acetylene gas itself. Acetylene gas is highly flammable and explosive. It also can cause breathing problems in those who work around it. This poses more of a risk to fruit workers than people who eat fruit.
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Acetylene gas can accumulate in fruits when large amounts are used to ripen it. It may be possible to have negative health effects from eating massive quantities of fruits that have stored acetylene gas. This could include nervous system problems like dizziness, fatigue, and confusion. But this doesn’t seem to be a common issue.
Should you avoid fruits ripened with calcium carbide?
If you know that a fruit was ripened with calcium carbide, it’s best to avoid it. But if you live in the U.S., you may not have to worry about eating fruit ripened with calcium carbide. Ethylene is often used when fruits are artificially ripened in the U.S.
Many countries have banned the use of calcium carbide in fruit ripening. But some fruit producers still use it illegally to keep costs down. Reports of the use of calcium carbide are mostly from countries in South Asia and Africa.
How can you avoid calcium carbide?
You would probably need to eat a lot of fruit imported from certain locations to experience any harmful side effects. But there are certain things you can do to avoid eating fruit ripened with calcium carbide:
Wash your fruit well. This is to remove any chemicals that could remain on your fruit.
Eat local fruit when you can. Fruit that doesn’t need to be shipped can be picked when it’s riper.
Eat fruit that’s in season. Seasonal fruits don’t need any ripening agents.
Notice how the fruit looks and tastes. Fruit that’s artificially ripened is more likely to be ripe only on the outside. And it may be less sweet and flavorful than naturally ripened fruit.
Check online if you’re eating imported fruit. The country where the fruit is from should be on the label. You can do an online search to see if calcium carbide use has been reported in that country.
Another way you can avoid calcium carbide is to buy organic fruit — if you can. Organic fruit has been grown with certain guidelines. Ethylene can be used as a ripening agent but not calcium carbide.
But organic food is more expensive, and can be harder to find at your nearest grocery store. So don’t worry if this isn’t an option for you. A good wash will do the trick. And buying local produce (at a farm stand or farmers market) is a great way to lower potential exposure to harmful chemicals. Many times, it’s also less expensive than regular fruit at the grocery store.
The bottom line
Calcium carbide and acetylene gas are used by some growers to ripen fruit. These chemicals are unsafe for humans. In the U.S., fruit producers usually use ethylene gas, which is a ripening hormone made by plants. If you’re concerned about calcium carbide, it’s a good idea to buy local, in-season fruit. If you buy imported fruit, wash it well to avoid chemicals.
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References
Igiebor, F. A., et al. (2023). Chemical-based fruit ripening and the implications for ecosystem health and safety. One Health implications of agrochemicals and their sustainable alternatives. Springer..
Islam, N., et al. (2016). A legislative aspect of artificial fruit ripening in a developing country like Bangladesh. Chemical Engineering Research Bulletin.
Islam, N., et al. (2016). A review on the legislative aspect of artificial fruit ripening. Agriculture & Food Security.
Okeke, E. S., et al. (2022). The use of calcium carbide in food and fruit ripening: Potential mechanisms of toxicity to humans and future prospects.Toxicology.
Oladipupo, A., et al. (2022). The use of calcium carbide in fruit ripening: Health risks and arsenic index as a quantitative marker for calcium carbide residue. Progress in Chemical and Biochemical Research.
Rasdi, I., et al. (2018). Calcium carbide (CaC2) exposure from fruit ripening process and health effects among fruit farmers: A research review. International Journal of Public Health and Clinical Sciences.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2000). The national list of allowed and prohibited substances: 7 C.F.R. § 205 subpart G.
