ADULTERATION RACKET BUSTED

: Officials of the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday seized mangoes from vendors who used calcium carbide to ripen the fruits. According to experts, usage of calcium carbide is extremely harmful to health. While mangoes worth Rs 1,91,400 were seized from a shop near Sindhuwadi at MG Road in Ghatkopar (E), another stock worth Rs 71,500 was seized from one more shop in the same area. The FDA is also planning a crackdown on shopkeepers who mix papaya or banana pulp in mango juice. FDA's joint commissioner (Mum) Suhas Choudhari said cases will be registered under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act. Citizens can alert the FDA about such rackets on 2659-0686 or fax 26591959 —Yogesh Naik I TNN