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Rapid Detection Kits for Adulterants in Fresh Fish has been developed by Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), Kochi 

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• Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Radha Mohan Singh launched the Rapid Detection Kits for Adulterants in Fresh Fish, developed by Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), Kochi.
• Ammonia helps in preventing ice from melting and use of formaldehyde increases the shelf life of fish therefore many people in the fisheries sector are using these chemicals.
• The kit helps in detecting both the chemicals in the fish.
• Continuous ingestion of ammonia and formaldehyde can lead to many health issues including abdominal pain, vomiting, unconsciousness, and sometimes even cause death.
• Fish consumption is beneficial for health. Formaldehyde is potential cancer-inducing chemical, which is a major health concern; therefore, its use needs to be curb
• Since fresh fish is highly perishable in nature, so fish don’t have a long shelf life. India’s domestic fish market is reported to be selling formaldehyde-adulterated fish, especially in markets located far away from landing centres or production sites.
• According to Indian and International regulations, the fresh fish and shellfish should be preserved only by means of ice and use of substances other than ice to maintain quality is a fraudulent practice.
• Continuous monitoring of these contaminants in a laboratory is time-consuming and requires expertise but some people use toxic chemicals in the form of contaminated substances. ICAR-CIFT has developed two rapid detection kits for checking adulteration of fresh fish with formaldehyde and ammonia. The kits are handy and consist of simple paper strips, reagent solution, and standard chart for comparing results.

Source

PIB