Thiruvananthapuram: Danger of formalin in fish during trawling ban season

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Food Safety Department has warned of chemical additives like formalin in fish during the ongoing trawling ban. Various reports said that a complaint was registered before the health department by an autorickshaw driver who developed itching and sneezing after consuming contaminated fish purchased from the market at Aryanad. While trawling ban is in force in West Coast including Kerala, fish from East Coast of India finds its way to the market.

“If the natural stench of fish is missing, one can figure out that there could be chemicals. It is a known thing that fish with red gills and clear eye could have the chemical,” explains an Assistant Food Safety Commissioner. Sellers at Edappazhinji markets says that the fishermen are responsible as the chemical used to embalm bodies are injected on fish soon after catch. Studies say consumption of a solution containing 37 per cent formalin can even kill a human. 

“Yes, we do notice fish that seems to have formalin added here. During ban we might have fewer options,” a seller said. Meanwhile, food safety officials that, during the ongoing fever epidemic the focus was being given to quality of water and ice. The ice factories which use ice mixed with ammonia to preserve fish were shut down from time to time during summers. “The ice factories and mineral water factories under the ambit are being screened routinely,” an official added.