Rumours of formalin in fish hits trade

Checks Show Fish Safe, Say Officials

Chennai: 

Rumours that fish sent from Tamil Nadu to Kerala was laced with formalin has affected the trade in the state, particularly in Chennai. With aban on fishing along the west coast in place, fishermen in places like Kasimedu in Chennai had been sending most of the catch to Kerala and other places. The quantum of the loss is yet to be ascertained. 

In order to assuage buyers, officials of the fisheries department and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) conducted thorough checks at the fishing harbor and fish markets and found, apart from finding decayed fish in a couple of places, none laced with formalin. Search teams used a kit developed by Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalithaa Fisheries University. 

FSSAI officials said they were working with the fisheries department on the issue and that fish samples were collected and tested in Tuticorin and Kanyakumari districts. 

The fishermen, however, do not seem satisfied. South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association president K Bharathi said the government instead of just conducting checks should also spread awareness among people. “The fish that had formalin traces were sent from Andhra Pradesh to Kerala and not from Tamil Nadu,” he added. 

Fishermen in the state had begun getting a good catch very recently after the ban ended but have again been hit by the rumours, he said. Tuna from Tamil Nadu was one of the most sought after in Kerala and used to fetch up to ₹120 per kg. Now, traders in Kerala have rejected it. 

“There are no takers even after the price was reduced,” he said. 

Prof develops kit to check fish quality 

Chennai: 

A kit developed by Jeyashakila, a professor at Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Fisheries University in Tuticorin, has come in handy to check quality of fish, especially to see if it is laced with formalin. 

Jeyashakila, who is also the head of the Referal Laboratory at the university, said a sample of the fish skin has to be put in a vial with a diluent. A chemical is added to the mixture which reacts if formalin is present in it. If the mixture turns fluorescent yellow, it is positive. If the sample remains colourless, it is negative. The test takes about five minutes to check for the presence of formalin. Using one kit, 25 samples can be tested, she added