These days, a video related to mango is going viral on social media, in which a shocking claim is being made. In this video it is said that if lemon juice is rubbed on a mango peel cooked with calcium carbide, its color turns purple or black. On the basis of this claim, it is also being indicated that such mango is “poisonous” and eating it can be dangerous for health. But is this claim actually based on scientific facts? Let us know the whole truth.
The viral video has been shared by an Instagram account named @jyotiscookingchannel, showing an experiment showing that the color of the mango peel changes when it comes in contact with lemon juice. According to the video, this color change is an indication that the mango has been artificially ripened using calcium carbide.
However, according to food safety experts and scientists this claim is completely misleading and misleading. Experts say that the color of the mango peel coming in contact with lemon juice does not in any way prove that the fruit is poisonous or that it has been cooked with carbide.
Actually, lemon juice is acidic and can react chemically with the natural pigments present in the mango peel, such as chlorophyll and other compounds. This reaction can sometimes cause a slight change in color, but this does not necessarily mean the fruit is “poisonous.”
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has earlier clarified that on the basis of external color change alone, it cannot be concluded that the fruit has been cooked with harmful chemicals. There are many scientific tests and standard procedures for identifying carbide ripened fruits, which cannot be proven by home experiments alone.
Experts also recommend that such “kitchen tests” going viral on social media should not be completely trusted, as they are often based on half-baked knowledge and create unnecessary fear among people. Mango is a nutritious and safe fruit, which is considered beneficial for health when purchased from the right source.
The most reliable way to check the quality of fruits is to purchase from certified suppliers and follow food safety standards, rather than relying on home chemical experiments.
In conclusion, the change in color of the mango peel when rubbed with lemon is in no way a proof that the fruit is poisonous or has been cooked with calcium carbide. This may just be a simple chemical reaction that is being misrepresented on social media.
