This study assessed the food safety risks associated with bananas ripened by CaC2. For ripening, calcium carbide concentrations were used per kilogram bananas (1% and 2%of calcium carbide solution; 5 gm, and 10 gm of calcium carbide powder) and compared results of artificially ripened fruits with control samples. Heavy metals like arsenic, phosphorous and calcium content at market banana were found higher than other treated samples. Total sugar, reducing sugar, TSS, pH, titrable acidity, vitamin C, and carotenoid were lower at market sample than other samples. Moisture content increased while total sugar, reducing sugar, TSS, pH, titrable acidity, vitamin C and carotenoid decreased with increasing CaC2 concentration. Other than titrable acidity, pH, total sugar and TSS were negatively correlated with the heavy metals. Sensory properties decreased with increasing CaC2 concentration. In conclusion, the market sample contained more health risk compared to the calcium carbide ripened banana assessed in this study.
Key words: Calcium carbide, heavy metals, food safety risk, sensory evaluation
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