Desk Correspondent , Hyderabad – The season of summer is onto us, days of water rich fruits are also in hand, but with some health scare this time. Hyderabad police have intensified their crackdown on the artificial ripening of mangoes, apprehending a trader for allegedly using excessive chemical agents that pose serious health risks to consumers. On Saturday, the Goshamahal police raided a warehouse in Chudi Bazar and arrested the trader after discovering him using six sachets of a ripening chemical per 20 kg of mangoes, exceeding the permissible limit of five sachets by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Authorities seized around 200 kg of mangoes and several packets of the ripening agent during the operation.

Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar urged citizens to remain vigilant while purchasing mangoes, cautioning against chemically treated fruits often sold under misleading ‘organic’ labels. "With the onset of summer, mangoes have flooded the markets. However, citizens must not ignore the potential dangers behind these fruits. Driven by profit, some unscrupulous traders are putting public health at risk," he said in a post on 'X'. Consuming such fruits can lead to immediate issues like throat irritation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, while long-term exposure may cause damage to the nervous system and could be a leading cause of respiratory problems.

Sajjanar advised consumers to avoid mangoes with uniform golden colour, unnatural shine, chemical odor or abnormal spots on the skin. He suggested testing with a baking soda solution to check for colour changes indicating chemical treatment. The Hyderabad Police’s H-FAST unit is maintaining close watch on markets, and legal action is being taken against offenders. This case shows that even healthiest food are also to be taken with caution.