Detecting formalin in fish

Research findings of Nowgong College (autonomous) about the presence of 15% formalin (for maldehyde in water) in fish procured from outside Assam and sold in the district have sounded the alarm bell on the safety standards of fish consumed by people in the state. What is more worrying is that no mechanism of the Fishery Department is in place for detection of such adulteration, despite detection of formalin in fish procured from outside the state in the past. The argument that the state achieving self-dependency on fish production is the solution to the problem is fallacious, as unscrupulous fish traders resorting to storing local fish in formalin cannot be ruled out. The presence of formalin in fish escaping detection by the department is baffling when the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) developed a rapid detection kit to check for formalin and other adulterants in fresh fish. A Guidance Note titled “Issue of Formalin in Fish” developed by the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in collaboration with the ICAR and CIFT cautions that ingesting large amounts of formaldehyde can generally cause severe abdominal pain, vomiting, coma, renal injury, and possible death. The International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organisation classifies formaldehyde as “carcinogenic to humans” with sufficient evidence for nasopharyngeal cancer in humans. It also mentions that formaldehyde is not used in food as per the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011. It also explains that formalin is a common adulterant in fish, and fish traders and suppliers use it to extend the storage of fresh or chilled fish and artificially improve sensory attributes. The FSSAI Referral Laboratory on Fish and Fish Products and the CIFT found formalin residues in freshly marketed fish, inter-state fish consignments, and even in ice used during transportation. The guidance note advises consumers to wash fish thoroughly with running tap water and to cook fish thoroughly to an internal temperature of 75 oC or above so that heat from cooking also aids in the removal of formaldehyde. The FSSAI-ICAR-CIFT guideline also underlines the importance of using the rapid detection kit and states that the method is simple, rapid, consumer-friendly, and detects only the added formaldehyde present in fish. It also states that traders should refrain from using unapproved chemicals or additives, including formalin, during any storage, transport, or supply. Wider dissemination of this FSSAI guideline among traders and fish consumers can help raise awareness and check such adulteration. The Fishery Department’s facilitation of market availability of affordable and easily accessible rapid testing kits will help consumers test for the presence of formalin in fish bought from the market. The kit consists of a strip and a reagent. A white paper strip in the kit turns blue in 30 seconds if formaldehyde is present in fish, and one kit containing 25 strips and reagent costs only Rs 50. Empowering consumers to test will also address the problem of a lack of an adequate number of departmental food safety inspectors to carry out regular testing of fish in the markets as well as fish sold on the roadside and on bicycles in by-lanes for the presence of formalin. The FSSAI and ICAR-CIFT identified the unavailability of quality ice at harvest centres, inadequate insulation during domestic transport, and a lack of warehousing facilities for bulk storage of fish as some of the compelling reasons for rampant use of formaldehyde in domestic fish marketing. A large section of fish traders in Guwahati’s fish markets store fish from Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Myanmar in ice for a couple of days until those are sold. Periodic and frequent inspection of such stored fish and imposing punishments on any unscrupulous traders who are found to be using formalin to extend storage life can send a strong message against fish adulteration. It will also assure consumers about the safety standards of the fish they buy. The department and fish market committees collaborating and setting up storage facilities with quality ice will also lessen the worries of fish traders about spoilage of unsold fish. Assam imports about 78 MT of fish daily from other states to meet its shortfall in demand, making it imperative for the Fishery Department to ensure that regular inspections are carried out on fish consignments for the presence of formalin and other chemicals. Rising fish demand has also led to a rise in fish traders in Guwahati city and various towns and rural markets, and, therefore, inspection carried out only in wholesale and retail markets may not help detect formalin in fish at all places. The onus of enforcing safety standards on food items is the mandate of the government department, and any laxity on the part of enforcement officials and agencies can pose serious health hazards to consumers. Apart from raising awareness among consumers about formalin in fish, the use of the rapid test kit needs a policy push.