PRESS NOTE

NO U TURN ON THE FISH RESULTS BY FDA

FDA had received communication from Food Safety and Standards Authority of
India, (FSSAI) to furnish details of sampling of fish and detections of
contaminants of fish with Formalin if Positive; by lab reports. Also keeping in
mind the reports of banning of import of fish from Chennai by the State of
Assam due to Formalin contamination, and to ensure that the fish received by
our State from Chennai is free from contamination the FDA Officials had
visited wholesale fish market at Margao and fish Market at Panaji on
12/07/2018 to draw the fish samples. Spot tests carried out on the samples
indicated presence of Aldehydes, which is a family of organic compounds
which includes formaldehyde. Formaldehyde in its liquid form is known as
formalin. Among all the aldehydes, formalin (formaldehyde) is carcinogenic, if
consumed in excess. To rule out the presence of added Formaldehyde in the
fish samples same were subjected to detailed testing at FDA laboratory at
Bambolim and the results were found to be within permissible limit.
Spot test carried out carried for detection of Aldehyde is only an indicative test
and unless the confirmatory tests are carried out in the Laboratory to ascertain
the presence of formalin quality, fish cannot be declared as positive for
Formalin content.
It is to be noted that Marine fish naturally contains certain amount of Formalin.
As per the report published by Society of Fisheries Technologists (India) the
concentration of Formaldehyde in Marine fish is found to be varying
between 2.38 to 2.95 mg/kg; fish/shellfish 0.33 to 16 mg/kg. etc.
The Scientific papers published in the International Journal of Fisheries
and aquatic studies shows that freshly caught fishes contains presence of
naturally occurring formaldehyde in the range of 1.45 mg/Kg to 2.6 mg/Kg.
However, the concentration may vary depending upon the commodity, the
geographical condition, the marine waters.
The Laboratory analysis performed on the fish samples drawn from
Margao wholesale market and Panjim market showed the results on par
with the naturally occurring concentration for the different fishes tested
ruling out the possibility of added amount of formalin.
In the afternoon on 12/07/2018 two more samples of Verli(silver fish) and
Mackerels were drawn by the FDA officials from Old Goa and these samples
also showed positive for Aldehydes by the spot test however upon laboratory
analysis no added formalin was detected.
FDA Goa today received the “CIFTest” Formaldehyde detection kit for fresh
fish developed by ICAR – Central Institute of Fisheries Technology,
Mastsyapuri, PO. Willington Island, Cochin, and the above two samples were
also tested by this kit and the same did not show presence of formalin.
The FDA will continue its drive to test the samples of fish for presence of
formalin contamination to assure the public of Goa that the fish available in Goa
is safe for public consumption. The public are requested not to panic regarding
the quality of fish available in our State.