It’s the mango season and wherever you go in the market you’re most likely to see heaps of mangoes being sold or hawked. Due to the high demand for these fruits, some crooks have developed ways to ripen the mangoes as quickly as possible to meet market demands.
What goes into the chemical ripening process?
The chemical ripening process involves injecting the mangoes with calcium carbide. The compound reacts with moisture to produce acetylene gas. This causes the mangoes to ripen quickly. The side effects of consuming such fruits are as follow:
- Skin irritation
- Respiratory problems
- Gastrointestinal issues.
Another ripening technique used by traders is by exposing the fruits to ethylene gas. The gas is a natural plant hormone that triggers ripening in fruits.
This article will outline the characteristics of naturally ripened mango and chemically induced ripened mangoes.
Below are the six ways to tell apart artificially ripened mangoes from naturally ripe mangoes.
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1. Perfrom the Dip Test:
The dip test is used to tell chemically induced mangoes apart from naturally ripped ones. It involves immersing the mangoes in water.
Mangoes that sink to the bottom are naturally ripe however those that float at the top have been pumped with chemicals.
2 . Chemically ripened mangoes are mostly small in size and dripping with juice:
See how the shape of the mango is, it will also let you know if the mango is ripened with chemicals. Chemically ripened mangoes are small in size and most of them are seen dripping juice.
Mangoes which has a white or blue mark should not be bought at all they are rich in artificial chemicals.
3. Green spots: You can tell if a mango is artificial by looking at its colour. Green spotting on mangoes is a clear indication that the mango has been exposed to chemicals.
4. The press test: You can tell if a mango has ripened naturally or artificially by pressing it. If you press the mango and realise that it’s soft all around then it’s likely a naturally ripened mango.
Those cooked with chemicals will most likely have certain parts of them hard.
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5. Smell: Another way to tell if mango is natural is by smelling it. If you smell the fruit and perceive a fruity smell then it is most likely naturally ripened However if you perceive an alcoholic or sour smell then you are most likely about to enjoy chemicals.
6. Check for Spots: Brown spots on mangoes are normal. If the spots are white then it is a cause for concern. Chemically cooked mangoes have white spots on them.
Mangoes are a great source of vitamin C, water and fibre and everyone enjoys them. If you want to reap these benefits of mangoes then its best to check to ensure you’re ingesting healthy fruits.