VISAKHAPATNAM: Test kits, developed by the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), for detection of formalin and ammonia contamination in fish, will be commercially produced soon. Finding that there is increasing use of formalin in the freshwater fish sent from Andhra Pradesh to northeastern states of India, a joint team of Food Safety department, Animal Husbandry department and the Fisheries department has been inspecting freshwater fishing areas to certify the stock using the kit.
The technology has been licensed to the Mumbai-based HiMedia Laboratories Private Limited and the formal exchange of the MoU was held at a ICAR-CIFT, Kochi, recently. The development of the detection kit was in response to the needs of the ordinary fish consumers to detect contaminants and allay their apprehensions.
Since it takes three-four days for fish exports to reach destination and the fish don’t get contaminated in transit, traders use formalin for a longer shelf-life. As the unsuspecting consumers buy the fish, they are affected by digestive and cancer problems. “With this formalin test kit, consumers or even the public can check the formalin content. The strip when rubbed on fish changes colour it is detected to contain formalin. The kit with around 25 strips is `3 at our level but the price may change when it is commercially produced.
The production will start in 15 days,” said Raghu Prakash, the scientist incharge of the CIFT.
Finding that formalin fish are exported to North India, the state government has made it a point to check the formalin content in fishes and stamp them before exporting. With majority of the freshwater fish in AP is exported from West Godavari and Krishna districts, two teams haver been constituted in the two districts with fisheries officials, food inspector and veterinary assistant surgeon in each team. “The teams will go to the packing areas and test the fishes.
More than 4 per cent PPM (parts per million) will change the colour, indicating the presence of formalin,” said P Koteswara Rao, the incharge joint director of Fisheries. The checks have started in the two districts. The main aim is to see that freshwater fish exported from the AP should not have more than the permitted formalin.
“Daily inspection report will be submitted and the box will be stamped for certification before being exported. The traders who use formalin in fish for exports will be booked under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI),” Koteswara Rao told TNIE.
Further, there are also reports on adulteration of seafood in the state. With around 500 landing centres, including major and minor ones, and four fishing harbours in the state, the department plans to get samples from the landing centres and check the fish for quality standards.