What is Health Dept for then?
Published on: Saturday, October 10, 2015
Kota Kinabalu: Sabah Anglers Association President Datuk Wilfred Lingham has questioned why consumers must be the ones to provide proof of formaldehyde use in seafood to the Health authorities."I read in the Daily Express that Health Director Dr Christina Rundi said consumers needed to show her proof that fishes sold in our markets are formalin-tainted. When consumers make a complaint, the onus is on the Health Department to carry out tests and debunk the complaints. How are the consumers supposed to provide proof when they do not have any device (to detect formalin) to do so? "Is the Health Department prepared to certify that all fishes, prawns and squids sold in our markets safe for consumption?
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"If that is so then consumers will feel safe to obtain their supply. It is unfair to ask consumers to provide proof when the device is not available or too expensive. "And why should they anyway? They are presently already paying RM8 for 1kg of Basung (Japanese Scad) which is a poor man's fish." Lingham said on their part Sabah Anglers Association will continue to sell formalin-free fishes to the public from time to time. "The consumers will be the judge to determine formalin tainted and formalin free fishes. On the statement regarding the use of formalin at permissible levels, Lingham feels it is an argument on a technical level."Arguing about 'excessiveness' (of formalin use in fishes in the market) is a technical issue. Our question is why allow formalin to be used to preserve fishes anyway?
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"Some more studies on formalin has confirmed it as a poisonous chemical and a cancer causing chemical and should be banned in fishes (used for human consumption) even when used in minute amounts," he said citing the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) which has classified formaldehyde as Group 1 carcinogenic to humans (Bianchi et al., 2007) and as such is harmful for consumption as it can induce cancer. Lingham said as per Malaysian Food regulations 1985, formaldehyde content (in meat, fish) should not be more than 5mg/kg and must be monitored strictly.
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"However to condone its use in the markets based on the above would be tantamount to saying that it is permissible but there is also no way (currently) to strictly monitor that there will be no abuses."And abuse (of formalin use) on a wide scale is what exactly is happening now."Lingham said Rundi should realise that the use of such chemicals is being abused by people who are ignorant of the danger. "One also cannot expect them to abide strictly to the prescribed permissible levels. Their end goal after all is profit and loss minimisation. "Hence the negative effects of such abusive practises on the health of the public does not bother these people (who may not even be locals) as they are not the ones consuming the fish."In KENINGAU, Sabah Reform Movement Vice President Paul Kadau said he is confused by Dr Rundi's claim that the use of formalin, a scheduled food poison, is allowed to keep fish in the market fresh.He said the poison known as Hydrochloric Acid also known as "air keras" in the street, is listed as prohibited under the 1952 Poison Act."We are truly confused by the director's statements," he said.On Dr Rundi called for proof of formalin tainted fish being sold in the market, saying the department has yet to find of traces of fish being poisoned with formalin above the permissible level.Towards this end, Kadau said he had also contacted the department's Food Safety and Quality division however officers said they were not certain of the existing status of formalin tainted fish, but admitted the chemical is poison. "If that is the case, when formalin is poison and is listed as prohibited under the Act, what assurance has been given that no one will fall ill if such fish is consumed?" he asked. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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