No preservatives found in dry fish: FDA

PANAJI: Contrary to concern in certain quarters that dry fish contains harmful preservatives, Food and Drug Administration director Salim Veljee has said the dry fish relished by Goans is free from any kind of toxic ingredients.

A laboratory analysis of eight samples collected from vendors in the Panaji fish market on Wednesday tested negative for chemical preservatives, Veljee said.

The only preservative found in them was salt, he said. The samples had been collected from three vendors in the city fish market and analysed at the laboratory at Bambolim.

Previous sample analysis of dry fish was drawn in early 2016 and prior to that in 2015. The latest analysis of the samples has dispelled fears of the presence of toxic chemicals.

The result of the all three analyses has revealed that dry fish in Goa does not contain chemical preservatives, the FDA director emphasised.

After chemicals were found in fresh fish sold in the SGDPA market in Margao last week there were reports that even dry fish is contaminated by chemicals.

FDA officials also took samples of fresh fish from Panaji and Margao wholesale markets. The officials have given the samples a clean chit.

At the retail level no preservatives are added by fish vendors. The only ‘wrongdoing’ could be done is at the wholesaler’s end who dips fish in formaldehyde solution. The analysis was meant to test that and it showed negative, Veljee said.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India vide draft guidelines in January 2016 laid down the standards for preservatives in all kinds of processed fish, including dry fish. For dry fish salt is the only preservative along with tripotassium sulphate. However, the use of the latter is permitted only under good manufacturing practices conditions, viz. as infrequently as possible.

Durgadas Phadte, a dry fish vendor in the Panaji market, said that 50 per cent of the quantity sold by all vendors in Goa comes from outside. Only mackerels come from Benaulim. The dry prawns arrive from Karwar while dry Bombay Duck, sardines, vellyo (common silver belly) from Mumbai. Traditionally, local salt is the only preservative used but lately turmeric and spices are also used as ingredients, explained Phadte.

Dry fish is extremely popular in Goa especially during the monsoon; people fall back upon dry fish as there is shortage of fresh fish in the rainy season.

In the past, people dried their own fish in summer but with families moving into flats the trend is to buy from the market.

In many states samples of dry fish have revealed the presence of harmful chemicals used to prevent fungi and bacteria.

In Goa, however, the sample reports are clean, FDA has confirmed.