Don't paste stickers on fruits, C'garh FDA tells sellers

Chhattisgarh Food and Drugs ministration has banned pasting of stickers on fruits in state citing verse effects on human health of hesive, an official said on Friday. FDA urged sellers to desist from practice and asked people t to buy such fruits, an official said, ding that directive was issued on Thursday.

"Fruits like apple, mango, orange, guava, banana, custard apple, pear, and ors have stickers on ir surface. This is done to pass off product as one of premium variety or to hide dam. Any shopkeeper found storing and selling unsafe food products will be charged under section 59 of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006," he said.

"Chemicals used in se stickers can le to product contamination and make it unsafe for human consumption. Under FSSAI Act, trers and fruit sellers are t allowed to store, distribute or sell such fruits," official said.

FDA asked shopkeepers to t use items like wax, mineral oil, colors or carbide/acetylene gas to ripen fruits.