Beware of eating dry fish!

4 July 2011

biswabrata goswami
JUNPUT (East Midnapore), 4 JULY: People should now be cautious before eating dry fish, considered a delicacy by many.
To preserve the product, dry fish traders in Digha, Junput, Bankiput and Bhogpur in East Midnapore ~ widely regarded as hubs of dry fish production ~ have begun using highly toxic pesticides and a preservative that have been found hazardous to human health.
To put an end to the menace, the state marine fisheries directorate has clamped a ban on any form of chemical for dry fish processing. Businessmen  who sell such chemicals to fish traders have also been brought under this ban. Test of samples of a particular class of preservative used in processing dry fish at various research laboratories in Bangladesh, Assam and Mizoram, that are the major buyers of dry fish, found substances of Formalin De-Hyde which is often used to preserve human body.
Apart from the use of Formalin De-Hyde, fish traders are using highly toxic pesticides and insecticides like Metacids, Cypermethrin, Endo-Sulphur, BHE-50 and Chlorophyriphos-50, said a fishery officer.
“We have come across reports of dry fish traders using pesticides and a preservative for durability of the product. As preservative chemicals are suspected to be toxic, prohibitory orders were issued recently on their use,” said Mr Surojit Bag, additional director of fisheries (Marine).
He said that notices have been served on various dry fish manufacturing units, marine fishermen’s bodies and trawler operator associations, besides fishermen cooperative societies. They have been asked to refrain from using preservatives, he said.
Mr Biplab Maity, a spokesman for the traders, defending the use of preservatives, argued that it was a common practice among fishing communities across the country and to the best of his knowledge it was not detrimental to human health. He said that they had stopped using only a particular brand.
“We are not aware of the use of toxic substances while manufacturing dry fish. However, if such a practice is prevailing, it should be stopped,” said a dry fish trader in Junput. According to fisheries officials, drug officials have been asked to take action on those who use toxic pesticides and preservatives.
“An awareness camp was recently organised at Junput where fish traders were asked not to use chemicals for preserving fish. The rampant use of toxic chemicals in fish may lead to cancer to anyone who eats dry fish on a regular basis,” said Mr Bag, adding fish traders, however, do not eat these fish out of fear.