Commissioner of Food Safety RM Kurbah on Monday said the formalin is detected in ice-stored rohu fish coming from outside the state.
As per the analysis reports from the Assistant Food Analyst to the Government of Meghalaya, 30 out of 42 samples of fish were tested positive for formalin which is an unpermitted preservative. The government had recently banned the sale of imported fresh fish for a period of 15 days.
Talking to reporters, Kurbah said, the government will take several preventive measures before lifting the ban on the sale of imported fish in the state.
“Whatever imported fish that comes here will be tested before it is allowed to be sold in the market,” the Commissioner of Food Safety said.
She further added that after the 15 days gets over, sample testing will be done for all the consignment from outside the state before it comes to the market.
“Testing is an ongoing process and we are allowing the local fishes to be sold in the market,” she said.
While confirming the detection of formalin in Rohu coming from outside the state, she said, “Actually Rahu fish are mostly from Andhra so basically we are looking at Rahu , all Rahu fishes coming to the state.”
Asked if its only the Rahu that came from Andhra Pradesh or from other state like West Bengal as well, Kurbah said, “I have to see from where the consignment comes, when the Government does put an inquiry, then definitely we do have some papers with us, we cannot pinpoint which state. Unless there is a total inquiry it’s difficult to say which state but Rahu we know.”
The Commissioner of Food Safety also assured to submit a report to the concerned department soon in this regard.
Further she said that the formalin is also being conducted at the local fishes sample as well.
“Testing is going on local fishes,” she added.