Kasargod: While a video of a man probing into fish used in hotels, specifically questioning if the harmful formalin has been used on the fish to keep the stock fresh has gone viral, an incident proving this as true has taken place here in the neighbouring state of Kerala.
The officials have seized 6000 kgs of fish laced with formaldehyde, at Vayalar check post, under ‘Operation Sagar Rani’.
The fish had been sent from Andhra Pradesh to Kerala. The Food Safety Department officials are alert and are set to crack the whip.
As per sources, 45 lorries laden with formalin laced prawns were seized and over a week, 12,000 kg of such fish has been seized.
It is said that the officials make use of a particular paper strip to find out if the carcinogenic chemical has been used on the fish and the same strip will be available in the market soon.
Formalin is a colourless solution of formaldehyde and water, used mainly as a preservative for biological specimens. Formaldehyde is a colourless, toxic, potentially carcinogenic, water-soluble gas, characterised by a suffocating odour, and is usually derived from methyl alcohol by oxidation.
