Parliament Question: Use of Prohibited Hormones, Chemicals in Fruits and Vegetables

GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 1012 TOBE ANSWERED ON 24th JULY,2026 USE OFPROHIBITED HORMONES, CHEMICALS IN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES †1012. DR. ANAND KUMAR: Will the Ministerof HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate: (a) whether the Government has taken note that there has been a rise in the use of prohibited hormones, chemicals or other harmful substances in recent years to increase crop-yield, enhance the size or cause premature ripening of fruits and vegetables, thereby adversely affecting the health of consumers and posing a risk of various diseases, if so, the details thereof; (b) the details of such cases reported along with the punitive action taken by the Government against the guiltyduring the last three years, year-wiseandState-wise; (c) whether the Government proposes to further strengthen the system of sampling, testing andmonitoringof fruits andvegetables andif so, the detailsthereof; and (d) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to promote safe and scientific agricultural practices and to create awareness among farmers, traders and consumers in this regard? ANSWER THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV) (a) to (d): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is mandated to lay down science based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption. The implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006isa shared responsibility betweenthe Central andStateGovernments.Increasing or enhancing crop-yield pertain to agricultural practices which fall outside the statutory mandate of FSSAI. However, FSSAI vide Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions On Sales) Regulations, 2011 prohibits the use of carbide gas in ripening of fruits by mandating that “No person shall sell or offer or expose for sale or have in his premises for the purpose of sale under any description, fruits which have been artificially ripened by use of acetylene gas, commonly known as carbide gas; provided that fruits may be artificially ripened by use of Ethylene gas at a concentration upto 100 ppm (100µl/L) depending upon the crop, variety and maturity”. Sub regulation 2.3.6 of the same regulations provides for Sale of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables which states that “The Fresh Fruits and Vegetables shall be free from rotting and free from coating of waxes, mineral oil and colours. Provided that fresh fruits may be coated with bees wax (white and yellow) or carnauba wax or shellac wax at level not exceeding Good Manufacturing Practices under proper label declaration as provided in Regulation 2.4.5 (44) of Food Safety and Standards (PackagingandLabelling) regulations,2011.” In order to ensure the safety of food products through testing, FSSAI has notified a network of259 NationalAccreditationBoardforTestingandCalibrationLaboratories(NABL) accredited food testing laboratories comprising laboratories of State/UT Governments, Government institutions, andNABLfor the analysis of food samples. FSSAI hasalso notified 24 Referral Food Laboratories for the analysis of appeal samples. FSSAI provides financial and technical assistance to the State Food Safety Authorities to strengthen their food testing infrastructure. To strengthen the laboratory capacity, FSSAI regularly conducts training programmes for its notified food testing laboratories including training programs on analysis of fruits andvegetables. Further, the FSSAI has published manuals on Methods of Analysis of various food commodities including Fruit and Vegetable Products, which serves as a comprehensive guide for the testing andanalysis of fruits and vegetablesproducts. Since, 98% of the food businesses are under the regulatory control of the State Food Safety Authorities, vide the advisories dated 03rd April 2023, 21st November 2023, 16th May 2025 and 16th April 2026, Food Safety Commissioners of all the States/UTs have been directed to intensify inspections and maintain strict vigilance over fruit markets/mandiswithin their respective jurisdiction. States/UTs undertakes Special Enforcement Drives to ensure strict monitoring of the sale of fresh fruits to prevent the use of unauthorized or prohibitedartificial ripeningagents, synthetic colours, andnon-permittedwax coatings. Food Business Operators (FBOs) found in contravention of the provisions of the FSS Act, 2006, andRegulations made thereunder face penal actions as perthe provisions outlined in Chapter IX (Offences and Penalties) of the Act, specifically Section 48-67 of the FSS Act, 2006. However, as per Section 18(3) of FSS Act, 2006 “The provisions of this Act shall not apply to any farmer orfisherman or farming operations or crops orlivestock or aquaculture, and supplies used or produced in farming or products of crops produced by a farmer at farm levelorafisherman inhisoperations.”. Details of inspections, seizure made & regulatory action taken for FY 2022-23 to 2024-25 isannexedat Annexure. *******Annexure Detail of inspectionsandseizure madeagainstartificiallyripened fruit (inviolation of theFoodSafety& StandardsRegulation) Year Inspections Samples Non-conforming Seizures/destructions conducted analyzed samples(found made(in kgs) over the artificially pastfive ripened with non yearsto -permitted detectthe agents) use of artificial ripening agentsin fruits 2022-23 14185 704 9 10182 2023-24 17180 1450 45 19582.2 2024-25 20365 1953 54 42395.46