PATNA: Presence of carcinogenic chemicals, such as formalin, lead and cadmium in fishes imported from other states has made consumption of fish risky. These chemicals are used for preserving the fishes.
Laboratory test reports of three fish samples mentioned heavy amount of formalin along with lead and cadmium. State health department is now waiting for seven more reports, after which a decision will be taken to prevent ailments due to consumption of such fishes.
“Altogether 10 samples were collected in October and sent to a laboratory in Kolkata. We have got the reports of three samples, which have very high content of formalin, lead and cadmium. We will get seven other reports in a couple of days,” principal health secretary Sanjay Kumar told TOI on Thursday.
Formalin is a preservative applied on the fishes to prevent it from decay and it is highly carcinogenic. According to experts, formalin is also used to preserve bodies in mortuaries. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), heavy metals like lead and cadmium are also carcinogenic and have toxic effects on human being. They damage kidney, skeletal, respiratory system and nervous system.
It is not for the first time in Bihar that deadly formalin has been detected in fishes. State animal and fisheries resource department had in September last collected 85 samples from small fish vendors across the state and conducted formalin test on them at its Mithapur research centre. Samples of 25 fishes showed high content of formalin.
The fresh test was carried out after the department received an instruction from the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), Kochi. The instruction was issued following detection of high level of formalin in fish samples in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Goa and West Bengal in July-August last year.
Even the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had released a guidance note on July 16 last year, alerting people about the deadly effects of formalin, which is used to preserve fish. The alerts were issued after scientists confirmed formalin in fishes in Chennai market.
A fisheries department official in Bihar said most fishes with formalin coating were brought from Andhra Pradesh and their main market in Bihar was Patna. He added that fishes like ‘rehu’, ‘katla’, ‘naini’ and common carp, which are in demand and brought from other states, had formalin in them. He, however, said there was no harm in eating local fish.
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