Sapota (Chikoo) Safety Inspection

Sapota (Chikoo) is artificially ripened using calcium carbide, similar to mangoes, to speed up ripening and improve marketability. 1. The Color and Appearance Test: Natural ripe sapota has uniform brown to dark brown skin with no green patches. The color is consistent throughout. Carbide-ripened sapota shows uneven color - green or yellow patches mixed with brown areas. The skin may have an unnatural look with patches of different colors side by side. 2. The Stem Check: Examine the stem area carefully. Naturally ripened sapota has a dark brown to black stem that dried naturally as the fruit ripened. Carbide-ripened fruit has a green stem even when the fruit appears ripe - the stem didn't get time to mature naturally because ripening was forced. 3. The Taste and Texture Test: Cut and taste. Natural sapota is sweet with a grainy, slightly gritty texture (natural sugar crystals) and rich flavor. Carbide-ripened sapota tastes bland, watery, or has no sweetness despite looking ripe. The texture is mushy or smooth instead of grainy. 4. The Scratch/Latex Test: Gently scratch the skin. Natural ripe sapota releases sticky white latex/sap when scratched. Carbide-ripened fruit has significantly less sap or no sap at all because the ripening process was disrupted. The latex flow is reduced. 5. The Firmness Test: Gently press the fruit. Naturally ripe sapota is soft but not mushy - it gives slightly under pressure but maintains shape. Carbide-ripened fruit is either too hard (forced ripening didn't complete) or excessively soft and mushy (overripe from chemical action).