BCSIR kits will detect ethephon in mangoes
The scientists at Bangladesh Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) have developed two test kits to detect use of harmful chemical ethephon for ripening mangoes.
"The test kits will be marketed soon," said BCSIR Chairman Prof Dr Ahmed Ismail.
After formal examination, the two kits would be manufactured under a pilot project as soon as possible, he added.
He said law enforcers and others concerned are using formalin test kits of BCSIR to detect the presence of the chemical in fish.
The BCSIR chief said laboratory tests found that formalin is used as a preservative in most fish in the markets. It can be detected easily by using a formalin kit.
In the same way, the new kit can be used to detect the presence of ethephon in mangoes, he said.
He added that in many cases carbide is being used to ripen mangoes quickly. Many buyers can detect the use of carbide as it changes the colour of mangoes. But the use of ethephon keeps a mango looking good.
Therefore, though it is more harmful, detection of ethephon is difficult for people, Prof Ismail said.
Prof Dr Ajoy Kumar Das of Applied Physics and Applied Chemistry Department of Dhaka University said ethephon is a poisonous chemical.
It damages human stomach and can make the liver ineffective, he said adding that the use of chemical in mango must be stopped immediately.
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