Health Secretary Goa, A Kumar, says the Schiff’s Reagent test for formalin in fish was not a validated test method. This pearl of wisdom comes two and a half months after the test was done! He expresses surprise and wonder that all the samples from 17 trucks tested positive saying this is not possible!
Well, science, especially test methods, always come correct. 2+2 in English, Hindi or Chinese is always 4. Surprise and ‘not’ possible is when all 8000 candidates fail an accounts test based on Std XII portion.
Rather, he must let the public know, how, as Health Secretary, he publicly claimed through the Health Minister, that formalin levels detected in the fish ‘were within permissible limits’? As Health Secretary, he should have clarified whether there are any permissible limits for formalin in food products. He was mum here. This is gross negligence on his part and one wonders whether he is qualified to speak anything on the issue. FSSAI has issued guidelines after the positive test for Formalin in fish detected all over India by none other than the CIFT. Why has Kumar not passed on these guidelines to the public and vendors?
As per the guidelines, traders must source food products from credible sources. Has the Health Secretary blacklisted the vendors using Formalin detected in Kerala, Assam, etc, so that vendors in Goa do not source from them? Has he advised them not to source from such people? What action has he taken to ensure FSSAI guidelines are followed? FSSAI has developed test kits which they recommend be used by all: what action has Kumar taken to ensure availability of these kits to traders, consumers?
The guidelines also advise law enforcers to use the test kits: how many has Goa Govt. used to date? The FSSAI also says that the CIFT had found ammonia and sodium benzoate in the fish along with formalin. Does the Goa FDA laboratory check for this or not?
Opposition Congress used CIFT kits a couple of days back and found formalin contaminated fish: where has he been hiding? FSSAI says clearly that there are many tests that can be used to detect formalin and that the only negative point is the time it takes. Schiff’s reagent test is used worldwide for checking the presence of formaldehyde: other aldehydes are in trace amounts that also spoil the fish.
What needs to be investigated is not who ordered the Schiff’s reagent test but rather why the Health Secretary and FDA Director are not following the FSSAI guidelines.
