The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned fruit sellers in Billiri Local Government Area of Gombe State against using calcium carbide to artificially ripen fruits, citing serious health risks.
The warning came during a sensitisation exercise on Friday, following reports that some fruits in the area were suspected to have been ripened with the banned chemical.
Gombe State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Pharmacist James Agada, explained that calcium carbide is hazardous and linked to illnesses such as cancer, kidney and liver failure, heart complications, ulcers, and skin damage.
He noted that artificially ripened fruits often show tell-tale signs—such as yellow peels with unripe insides, bananas and plantains with yellow skins but dark stems, or fruits that peel too easily and leave powdery traces.
“Protecting public health remains our priority. We are focusing on education first, but anyone who continues using calcium carbide will face sanctions,” Agada warned, urging sellers to use NAFDAC’s verification tools like the Green Book app, NAPAMS, and Scan2Verify.
Responding, Chairman of the Fruit Sellers Association in Billiri, Alhaji Murtala Mohammed, thanked NAFDAC for the enlightenment and pledged members’ compliance. He encouraged sellers to use safer natural alternatives, such as pear or garden egg extracts, for ripening fruits.
