Team Herald
PANJIM: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) informed the High Court of Bombay at Goa that research on specific standards pertaining to naturally occurring formalin in fish will be completed by June 2020 and the report will be prepared the following month.
The submission was made during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) raising concerns over the much-debated issue in the State.
During the hearing on Monday, FSSAI, while explaining that research on natural formalin in fish consumes time, owing to its availability in large categories, stated that the report will be notified in August 2020.
FSAI’s CEO also remained present in the court and filed an affidavit as the bench, at the last hearing, had issued a bailable warrant against him.
The high court has now adjourned the matter to January 27, 2020, for directions with instructions to FSSAI, to submit ‘time to time progress report’ in the matter. The first report is expected to be submitted before the division bench on February 14, 2020.
The court had last month directed the agency to submit its report by November 27 but with no data, the division bench had pulled up the concerned officers, warning that such a lethargic attitude will not be tolerated.
FSSAI had earlier 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.
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Rapid test kit prepared by Kochi institute
FSSAI on Monday told the High Court that ICAR-CIFT (Central Institute of Fisheries Technology), Kochi developed a rapid test kit to detect formalin in fish.
“CIFT, Kochi was requested to take up the task to identify the commonly available/traded fishes which contain endogenous formaldehyde as the method by the test kit is a screening method applicable only for exogenous formalin. ICAR-CIFT, Kochi developed a rapid test kit to detect formalin in fish which can detect formalin in two minutes,” FSSAI CEO Pawan Agarwal said in the affidavit filed before the division bench hearing the PIL.
FSSAI had issued a guidance note in July 2018 jointly prepared by the officer and ICAR-CIFT to guide consumers, traders and food testing laboratories on the best practices to avoid, restrict and detect formalin adulteration in fish. Agarwal also apologised to the court for failing to appear before the court at the last hearing. The Court on November 28 had asked CEO to remain present on December 5.
