Recently, the relevant media reported that mangoes on the market were ripened with the plant growth regulator ethephon, which had a negative impact on the safety of agricultural products, causing people's concern and concern. Recently, Yi Ganjun, the vice president, doctoral supervisor and researcher of Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, gave a detailed answer to the question of ethephon:

Reporter: Why should ethylene be used to ripen fruit?

Yi Ganjun: During the natural ripening process of fruits (especially bananas, mangoes, papayas, etc.), a large amount of ethylene will be released, and the ethylene released further accelerates the ripening of fruits.

People put mature bananas or apples and raw bananas together, and then wrap them with film. The principle is to start the ethylene production inside the banana fruit by releasing ethylene from the mature fruit, so as to accelerate the ripening of bananas. The folk use of stick incense to ripen bananas is also the principle of using stick incense combustion to produce ethylene gas.

According to pesticide website, the artificial use of ethylene to ripen bananas and other fruits is to use it to slowly release ethylene to achieve the purpose of ripening.

Reporter: Does ethylene have side effects on human body?

Yi Ganjun: Ethylene is a natural plant hormone that widely exists in plants. A large amount of ethylene will be produced during the natural ripening process of fruit, so ethylene has no side effects on human body.

Reporter: What is the principle of ethephon ripening fruit? Yi Ganjun: ethephon reacts with water or hydroxy-containing compounds to release ethylene. The plant contains a glycoprotein called ethylene receptor. After the ethylene is combined with the ethylene receptor as a catalyst, it will further metabolize and play a physiological role, such as accelerating the respiration of fruit, promoting the conversion of organic acids and starch into soluble sugar in the fruit, and so on, so as to promote ripening and coloring, Therefore, ethylene ripening process is a complex plant physiological and biochemical reaction process.

Reporter: Is it scientific to ripen fruits with ethylene or ethephon?

Yi Ganjun: ripening is an indispensable link in the fruit industry chain, and also a common practice at home and abroad for many years. As long as the fruit is ripened with ethylene or ethephon according to the standard operation, it will not cause any harm to human body. The residue of ethephon in the fruit should not exceed 2mg/Kg. Therefore, when using ethephon to ripen the fruit, it should be operated according to the relevant specifications and should not be soaked for too long. Use the method of introducing ethylene gas into the ripening silo to ripen. (China Pesticide Network)