Errant bottled water

The Health Ministry has stepped up its raids on all food outlets selling contaminated or unregistered bottled water and artificially ripened fruit.

This is a sequel to the recent raids where large stocks of such contaminated items in warehouses and eating outlets in Kotahena and Pettah were seized. A joint operation by the Health Ministry's Food control Unit and Colombo Municipal Council inspectors on Monday detected a large number of unregistered bottled water and artificially ripened fruits containing excessive carbide being sold in food outlets at Bastian Mawatha, Pettah. CMC

sources said that all bottled water and food sold in shops and boutiques should meet the approval of the CMC after samples are tested at its microbiology laboratory.

Health sources said that among the artificially ripened fruits, apples, mangoes, bananas and papaw were the most common. As far as apples are concerned, they said it was difficult to say whether carbide had been used since the exterior of the fruit appeared to be fresh. Bananas and papaw too which had been ripened artificially but are spoilt inside don't show visible signs until eaten", the spokesman said.

A spokesman for the Poisons Unit, National Hospital said that using carbide was not harmful as long as it was used in the correct manner. "Unfortunately, unscrupulous vendors apply the carbide directly on to the fruits which poses a health risk if taken in the long term", he said.

The sources said that legal action will be taken against errant vendors and stiff fines will be imposed.