6,000 kg of fish stored in formalin seized in Kerala

Formalin poses serious health hazards. Once inside the body it triggers metabolic process and produces toxins. While cooking, its toxicity never gets spoilt.

DR MATHEW THOMAS, health expert

At least 6,000 kg of fish laced with formalin, a carcinogenic substance used to preserve cadavers, were seized from a check-post in Palakkad on Saturday.

The consignment, mainly prawns, was being transported from Andhra Pradesh to a fish processing unit in Kochi, state food safety officials said.

The raid was part of the state food safety department’s ‘Operation Sagar Rani’ which was launched following many complaints about the deteriorating quality of fish.

Last week, officials had seized 14,000 kg of fish from eight trucks and sent them back to the place of origin with a warning that they were not edible in any form and should be destroyed immediately after alerting their counterparts in Andhra Pradesh.

A 15-member-team of food safety officials from Kozhikode, Ernakulam and Palakkad, led by the joint food safety commissioner had carried out the raid.

Later, tests conducted at the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology in Kochi found 63.9 mg of formalin in each kilogram of fish.

“We have stepped up our vigil and will conduct tests randomly at fish markets to find out the possible mix. Once laced with formalin, fish will remain intact for many days. Since many trucks are carrying fish from faraway coasts they lace them with the chemical to prevent decay,” said assistant food safety commissioner AK Mini.

She said her department has already written to the state government to allow only refrigerated trucks to carry fish.

A major fish-eating state, Kerala consumes 2,500 tonne of fish everyday.

Since domestic supply caters to only 60 % of its needs, it is depending heavily on other states.

To meet the growing demand the state fisheries department has started inland aquaculture and cage farming in a big way, but these measures are yet to reduce demand-supply gap.

Medical experts said formalin (formaldehyde) which is generally used to preserve bodies can cause serious ailments like cancer.

In 2011 the US National Toxicology Program had dubbed formaldehyde as a human carcinogen.

“Formalin poses serious health hazards. Once inside the body it triggers a metabolic process and produces toxins. While cooking, its toxicity never gets spoilt,” said health expert Dr Mathew Thomas.

The department recently intensified raids at border check posts as part of the operation, with special focus on fish stock arriving from other states, following a directive from the health minister KK Shailaja in this regard.

The minister had warned of stringent legal action against those who bring or sell chemically contaminated fish.

Officials seized a total of 12,000 kg of toxic fish, in two different raids, last week. Of this, 6,000 kg of fish, mixed with Formalin, was confiscated from Amaravila check post near here, while the rest was seized from Walayar, said officials.