India, Oct. 7 -- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday seized 1,394kg of bananas worth Rs.67,814 from the APMC Turbhe Fruit Market after finding that the fruit was being artificially ripened by directly dipping it in a chemical solution containing Ethephon, a practice prohibited under food safety regulations.

Acting on a tip-off, an FDA team inspected stall No. N-919 at the fruit market and found workers dipping bananas in a solution of BTHILEX (Ethephon 39% SL), a plant growth regulator.

The seller had allegedly prepared the solution by mixing two caps of the chemical in five litres of water, the FDA said. The agency seized the bananas and the chemical during the inspection.

The FDA said directly dipping fruit in an Etheph...