Attractive fruits fail shelf-life, taste test
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The next time you choose a juicy watermelon from the supermarket, be alert. A new strain of watermelons, attractive to look at, uniformly blood-red from within and with a shorter shelf life, has hit the markets.
Health and food experts point out that such fruit could have been ripened using artificial interventions, which makes them look attractive, but reduces their longevity and diminishes the nutritional value.
Mangoes and bananas are other fruits that are often ripened artificially, resulting in health problems. Ayurvedic physician Dr Jayakrishna says, “Even if synthetic colours aren’t injected into the fruits, it’s possible that they might have been ripened through artificial means. Such synthetically ripened fruit won’t taste as good as those that have been naturally ripened, but will look more attractive to consumers. The nutritional and medicinal value of the fruit is also compromised in the process. Moreover, such fruit, like watermelons, won’t stay fresh for a long period without refrigeration,” he said.
Certain varieties of bananas too start becoming soft and stale, with blackening skin within a day or two if left on the table. These bananas would have remained fresh for 4-5 days had they not been artificially ripened, added the doctor. Dr N. Satya Prasad, principal of Government Ayurveda College, added, “Fruits are grown using ample chemical fertilisers and pesticides. To add to this, if chemicals are used to ripen them artificially, it will do more harm than good. For instance, consuming carbide-ripened bananas will cause intestinal problems, indigestion and constipation. Carbide-ripened mangoes can adversely affect the liver and spleen.”
“Similarly, artificially ripened watermelons will be unusually red in colour and low in nutritional attributes. Otherwise in their natural form they are a cool summer fruit rich in vitamin C, potassium and anti-cancer elements,” he said.
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