📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Yann (talk)
Health
Consumers Warned: Shiny Yellow Bananas in Bhojpur May Be Chemically Ripened During Navratri
✍️ Amar Ujala · Patna
🗓 11 Oct 2026, 03:31 PM
👁 15
Amid soaring banana demand during Navratri in Bhojpur, authorities caution that bright yellow bananas may have been ripened with chemicals, urging shoppers to inspect before buying.
Bhojpur district in Bihar has seen a sharp rise in banana purchases as the Navratri festival approaches, prompting market vendors to stock large quantities of the fruit. Local health officials, however, have raised concerns that many of the glossy, uniformly yellow bananas on sale may not be naturally ripe but have been treated with ripening agents such as calcium carbide or ethylene-releasing chemicals.
The use of such substances can accelerate the ripening process, giving the fruit an unnaturally bright appearance that is difficult for consumers to differentiate from naturally ripened produce. Officials warned that prolonged exposure to residues from these chemicals could pose health risks, especially for children and pregnant women.
Consumers are advised to check for signs of natural ripening, such as a gradual change in colour, a slight softness at the stem end, and the presence of a faint banana aroma. Purchasing bananas from trusted vendors and avoiding those that look excessively shiny or uniformly yellow can reduce the likelihood of buying chemically treated fruit.
The warning comes as market authorities plan to increase random inspections of fruit batches during the festival period to curb the use of prohibited ripening agents. While no specific incidents of poisoning have been reported yet, the precautionary advisory aims to protect public health amid the seasonal surge in demand.
The use of such substances can accelerate the ripening process, giving the fruit an unnaturally bright appearance that is difficult for consumers to differentiate from naturally ripened produce. Officials warned that prolonged exposure to residues from these chemicals could pose health risks, especially for children and pregnant women.
Consumers are advised to check for signs of natural ripening, such as a gradual change in colour, a slight softness at the stem end, and the presence of a faint banana aroma. Purchasing bananas from trusted vendors and avoiding those that look excessively shiny or uniformly yellow can reduce the likelihood of buying chemically treated fruit.
The warning comes as market authorities plan to increase random inspections of fruit batches during the festival period to curb the use of prohibited ripening agents. While no specific incidents of poisoning have been reported yet, the precautionary advisory aims to protect public health amid the seasonal surge in demand.