Fruits ripened with carbide can cause heart, kidney and liver failure

 

Yes, it is, see this 2010 paper Eating artificially ripened fruits is harmful
Calcium carbide is extremely hazardous to the human body as it contains traces of arsenic and phosphorus. It is banned in many countries of the world, but it is freely used in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and other countries. Thus we are at risk of short-term and long-term health effects simply by eating fruits that are induced to ripen.





Calcium carbide CaC2 is used to easily generate low levels of ethylene gas which can hasten the (outside at least) ripening of fruits like bananas, mangoes etc.

Ethylene gas is only dangerous if in a >33% concentration, which we won't find in actual use, but the contaminants arsenic and phosphorus hydride are the dangers to look out for:
The early symptoms of arsenic or phosphorus poisoning include

1. vomiting
2. diarrhoea with or without blood
3. burning sensation of the chest and abdomen
4. thirst, weakness
5. difficulty in swallowing
6. irritation or burning in the eyes and skin
7. permanent eye damage
8. ulcers on the skin
9. irritation in the mouth
10. nose and throat. 
11. Throat sores
12. cough
13. wheezing 

shortness of breath may also occur soon after exposure to the chemical.



Higher exposure may cause a build-up of fluids in the lungs. Eating artificially ripened mangoes causes stomach upset because the alkaline substance is an irritant that erodes the mucosal tissue in the stomach and disrupts intestinal function.Chronic exposure to the chemical could lead to peptic ulcer.
As CaC2 imitates acetylene gas, it may affect the neurological system by inducing prolonged hypoxia. Recent findings related to carbide poisoning have reported headache, dizziness, mood disturbances, sleepiness, mental confusion, memory loss, cerebral oedema and seizure. Though eating the fruit will not bring about such an allergic reaction, the method of ripening it could cause such problems. Studies conducted by Erciyes University (Turkey) during 2005 revealed that CaC2 is hazardous as it contains traces of arsenic and phosphorus.

Washing the fruits (apples, mangoes) before consuming them is helpful in getting rid of the contaminants.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has advised the public to shun consumption of fruits ripened with calcium carbide.

The agency gave the warning on Monday in Abuja in a statement signed by its management, saying that dangerous effects of carbide-ripened fruits include cancer and other illnesses.


According to the management, consuming such fruits can also cause heart, kidney and liver failure. “NAFDAC hereby warns farmers and the general public against the dangers of using calcium carbide for ripening fruits such as banana, mango, plantain, orange and cashew,” the management said.

On how to identify carbide-ripened fruits, the management said that “naturally ripened fruits usually have brown or black spots while those artificially ripened have traces of powdery substances and peel off quickly’’.


The Agency further warned that “ripening fruits and vegetables with calcium carbide is a criminal offence’’,adding that henceforth, perpetrators would be prosecuted.
It advised the public to “report suspected cases to the nearest NAFDAC office in Nigeria
or call 09094262773
09094262772
08133630600