Team Herald

PANJIM: Quality Council of India (QCI), the competent authority for certification of seafood for export, has begun monitoring the quality of fish in Goa. QCI has established a protocol for sampling and testing to detect the presence of formaldehyde (formalin) in fish. 

On Saturday and Sunday, several vehicles, laden with fish, were denied entry to Goa due to lack of documentation. 

Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said that from this year onwards, QCI has been given a task of checking vehicles carrying fish on the borders. He said that the State authorities including Food and Drugs Administration department along with police will be assisting QCI officials in their duty.

“We have already roped in QCI to conduct quality check of the fish. And from this year onwards, they would be checking the fish entering Goa,” Rane said. 

QCI has set up camp offices at both border points- Pollem in South and Patradevi in North to conduct round the clock checking of the vehicles, Minister said adding that QCI has already begun inspection since Saturday night.

Goa had witnessed ban on import of fish, last year, after a report by FDA official was out stating that the fish imported to the State was laced with formalin. 

As per the statistics available from the department, total 13 vehicles were checked at Pollem border of which three were sent back for having improper documentation. At Patradevi, three out of five vehicles were denied permission. 

 “There was no formalin found in the fish that was tested. The vehicles were sent back as they had no proper documentation,” a senior official said.

Meanwhile, government is in process to expedite setting up of State-of-the-art testing facility in Goa, which will be the central point for entire Goa and Konkan region. Export Inspection Council (ECI) along with QCI will be putting up in place the facility in Margao.