Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has slammed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for failing to submit its report on specific standards regarding naturally-occurring formalin in fish.
The court had this month directed the agency to submit its report by November 27 but with no data, the division bench pulled up the officers concerned stating such lethargic attitude would not be tolerated.
The bench thereafter directed the FSSAI officer concerned to remain present in the court on Thursday, when the matter will be heard next.
FSSAI had in the beginning of this year fixed limits of formaldehyde in fish and fisheries products and issued a direction, which stated that the ad hoc limit of formaldehyde in food category of fish, including molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms, shall be 2mg/kg max for freshwater and 100mg/kg for brackish water/marine origin.
“The limits were for natural occurring formaldehyde, and this was a temporary arrangement made by the regulator, as the matter was still under consideration and a final decision shall be taken in the due course of time. The issue was examined by the concerned scientific panel of the FSSAI, which has recommended a detailed assessment of the issue. However, taking into account the instructions of the High Court of Bombay at Goa, as well as the scientific concerns related with the formaldehyde, it has been decided to set an ad hoc limit of naturally occurring formaldehyde till final assessment is done,” the notice had stated.
