World Aquaculture September 2018

68 SEP TEMBER 2018 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WA S.ORG Monitoring programs. Continuous monitoring by regulatory bodies in wet fish market to prevent such malpractices and contaminants. Responsibilities of regulatory bodies to create awareness among fish consumer, buyer and seller about formalin and its harmful effect on human health, therefore protect health of consumer as well as fish retailer and fish producer. For example, in Hong Kong, the government advised the public to choose fish that are fresh and avoid those with unusual smell and also avoid buying noodle fish that are stiff as addition of formaldehyde could stiffen flesh of fish (Zailina et al ., 2013). Foodpolicies. Make new food policies to prevent such adulteration in fish, therefore protect food and nutritional losses. For example, Malaysian Food Regulation 1985 (in exercise of the powers conferred by section 34 of the Food Act 1985, 2006) establishes a maximum limit for formaldehyde in fish and fish products of 5 mg/ kg. Very recently the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed stringent punishment of fine of ~US$ 14,500 and imprisonment up to life for those adulterating foodstuffs. The regulator has also suggested creating a ‘Food Safety and Nutrition Fund’ to support promotional and outreach activities among food businesses and consumers. Washing. Washing vegetables, fish and meat is common practice in households around the world before cooking food. If there is doubt of formalin in fish, wash with tap water or warmwater for fewminutes, because formaldehyde is volatile in nature and will readily dissolve in water. Warmwater is much more effective than cool water at removing formalin (Bhowmik et al . 2016). However, complete removal not possible but the residue level will be reduced. Storage of fish on ice. It is most advisable method for short-term preservation practice in fish processing industries where fresh fish is kept in ice storage before further processing. Formaldehyde is volatile in nature and it readily dissolves in ice meltwater. When melted water is replaced with new ice, some formalin is also removed from fish with melted water. Cooking. During cooking temperature exceeds 100 C and the boiling point of formaldehyde is 101 C therefore a substantial quantity of formaldehyde is evaporated during cooking (Bechmann et al . 1998). The USEPA’s Exposure Factors Handbook (USEPA 1997) has reported cooking the fish will result in weight (moisture and fat) loss which subsequently decreases the formaldehyde concentration in cooked fish. Frying. Frying of food (vegetable, meat and fish) is also commonly practiced among households in the world. When fish is fried in oil, added formalin is evaporated and reduced to an acceptable limit due to its volatile nature at frying temperature (160-180 C) (Zailina et al . 2013; Bhowmik et al . 2016). Therefore, frying may be used to eliminate added formalin from fish for safe consumption. Conclusion Stringent policies for formalin mixing in fish should be in place so that consumer safety is considered. Awareness among the consumers should be disseminated widely by modern communication media at national and international levels. Quick and cheap detection techniques and harsh punishment for formalin adulteration should be implemented by national and international regulators. Notes Sunil Kumar Sahu, College of Fisheries, Central Agricultural University (Imphal), Tripura – 799210, India. smartsahu96@gmail. com Naresh Kumar Mehta, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Fish Processing Technology & Engg., College of fisheries, Central Agricultural University (Imphal), Tripura – 799210, India. nareshfishco@gmail. com Swapnarani Samantaray, College of Fisheries, Central Agricultural University (Imphal), Tripura – 799210, India. swapna73703@ gmail.com Ranendra Kumar Mjumdar, Head & Professor, Dept. of Fish Processing Technology & Eng., College of Fisheries, Central Agricultural University (Imphal), Tripura – 799210, India. drrkmcof@gmail.com References Aini, B., S. Siddiquee and K. Ampon. 2016. Development of formaldehyde biosensor for determination of formalin in fish samples; malabar red snapper ( Lutjanus malabaricus ) and longtail tuna ( Thunnus tonggol ). Biosensors 6:32. Bechmann, I.E. 1998. Comparison of the Formaldehyde Content Found in Boiled and RawMince of Frozen Saithe using Different Analytical Methods. Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft und-Technologies 31:449-453. Bhowmik, S., M. Begum and A.N. Alam. 2016. Seasonal variations of formaldehyde and risk assessment of marketed fish contaminated with formaldehyde: fish and food safety issue. Proceedings of 3 rd AFSA Conference on Food Safety and Food Security. September 15 – 17, 2016. Bhubaneswar, India. Pages 1-5. Bhowmik, S., M. Begum, M.A. Hossain, M. Rahman and A.N. Alam. 2017. Determination of formaldehyde in wet marketed fish by HPLC analysis: A negligible concern for fish and food safety in Bangladesh. The Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research 43:245- 248. Bianchi, F., M. Careri, M. Musci and A. Mangia. 2007. Fish and food safety: Determination of formaldehyde in 12 fish species by SPME extraction and GC–MS analysis. Food Chemistry 100:1049-1053. Dzyadevych, S.V., V.N. Arkhypova, Y.I. Korpan, V. Anna, A.P. Soldatkin, N. Jaffrezic-Renault and C. Martelet. 2001. Different methods are available for detection and quantification of formaldehyde in fish and other foods. The spectrophotometric method is the classic detection method and one that continues to be used in many laboratories for research and analysis purposes. The HPLC method is very sensitive and accurate but, to protect consumers, it is out of reach or too expensive. The availability of cheap and rapid detection methods in kit form would be a great help for common use.