Are Your Mangoes Safe To Eat? Let's Find Out!

We wait for summers to relish yellow juicy mangoes. There are ample benefits of mangoes, including supporting heart health, aiding digestion, inducing antioxidants, improving the health of the eyes, etc. It is rich in vitamin C, dietary fibres and vitamin A.

However, do you know that your mangoes may have chemicals? Yes, it is true. Like most of our vegetables and fruits, mangoes can also have toxins.

Why Do Mangoes Have Chemical? (Chemical In Fruit)

Vendors induce acetylene in mangoes to reduce the timing of ripening. It allows them to start the sale of the fruit before time and earn money. It also turns mangoes yellow and makes them appear juicy.

The chemical is banned by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), but many vendors might be using it to increase their sales. The chemical is harmful to the human body and can cause many diseases.

How To Identify If Your Mangoes Have Chemical? (Shop For Mangoes)

It is not rocket science In fact, it is quite easy to identify mangoes ripened using chemicals. Here are a few ways to identify,

• Naturally ripened mangoes are yellow, while the chemically ripened mangoes have green spots. The fruit will have both yellow and green shades.
• After buying the mangoes, put them in a bucket of water. If they float, they have chemicals because the gas released after injecting the toxin makes them lighter.
• Mangoes are supposed to be juicy. That is why they help replenish the loss of water during the summer season. If you are eating mango with little or no juice, it has been ripened using chemicals.
• A ripened mango is sweet in taste and will definitely satiate your cravings for the fruit. However, if it has been ripened using chemicals, you will feel a little burn on your taste buds.
• A naturally ripened mango has a bright yellow-reddish colour evenly spread across its length and width. But a chemically ripened mango will have a light or dark yellow shade.

How To Get Rid Of Chemical Residue In Mangoes?

Soak In Salty Water

The thumb rule is to never eat mangoes right away after bringing them home. Keep them aside for a day or two, or soak them in salty water for at least half an hour. After soaking, rub them nicely with your hands and run them under cold or normal tap water.

Soak In Normal Water

The easiest way to remove chemicals from mangoes is to use the DIY hack of your grandmother. Soak an entire batch of mangoes in a bucket of water for at least a couple of hours. Take them out, rub them nicely and wash them under running water.

Wash With Baking Soda

Baking soda can help you get rid of the chemical residue on mangoes. In a litre of water, add a tablespoon of baking soda. To that mixture, soak the mangoes for 15-20 minutes. Take them out and wash them nicely with your hands.

Soak In Warm Water

If you are going to opt for this trick, make sure that the temperature of the water is in the range of calling it lukewarm. Soak the mangoes (mango slush recipe) in a bucket or tub for 2 hours, rub them nice and soak them again in normal water for 20 minutes.

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Soak In Vinegar

In a ratio of 9:1, add water and vinegar to a tub. Give the mixture a good stir and soak the mangoes for 15 minutes. Take out each piece, rub it well and run it under the tap water.

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After you are done washing, store mangoes in the fridge, and eat your favourite juicy fruit at any time of the day.

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