CHENNAI: As many as 1,200 kilos of watermelon were seized in Madurai on Monday after the fruit was found to be artificially ripened.
A team led by Jayaram Pandian, District Designated Officer, Food Safety Department made the seizure after conducting surprise inspections of roadside stalls in Bibikulam.
Preliminary inquiries revealed that the seized watermelons were found to have been injected with chemical substances particularly erythrosine to enhance colour and sweetness.