Taslim Ahammad :
Abuses of formalin in foods have become a great concern due to hostile health hazard now-a-days in Bangladesh. Because of having formalin mixed food, a lot of people getting seriously ill every year. Still, if we become careful and campaign against it we may easily get rid of this threat.
Formalin is the soluble form of formaldehyde and has multiple applications as bactericide or fungicide in the industry. Formaldehyde is one of the simplest molecules in nature and is present in most living organisms at low levels. However, the detection of illegally-added formaldehyde is not simple as food contains natural formaldehyde.
In Bangladesh formaldehyde has been testified to be fraudulently added to food to extend its shelf-life. The most common health problems in people exposed to formaldehyde include irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. If formaldehyde is present in the air at levels exceeding 0.1 ppm, some individuals may experience adverse effects such as watery eyes; burning sensations in the eyes, nose, and throat; coughing; wheezing; nausea; and skin irritation.Formalin may cause many more diseases of liver, kidneys, heart; ulceration, gastritis, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, etc. It may also harm bone marrow and cause anemia, leukemia (blood cancer). Moreover, it is extremely dangerous for pregnant women and new-born babies.
Food adulteration with formalin is a cold blooded crime. Formalin is in great triumph on a tremendous public panic by dint of multidimensional bamboozle bid taken to focalise foods formalin by means of various campaigns, discussions, talk shows, raids and drives across the country now a day’s. Our traders are applying the chemical in foods to aid an attractive look and keep them fresh for their ignorance, negligence and financial gaining. According to different sources, the level of formalin used in different foods, especially in the fruits are horrible and at toxic level for human consumption. It causes great havoc of human life and health which may be called food victimization. When formaldehyde enters into the body it is converted to formic acid, increases the acidity of blood and causes severe shortness of breath. Its long term use has a delayed effect such as damaging of kidneys, liver, brain, bone marrow, body defence and on fetus/ pregnancy. Hence, abuse formalin in foods as preservative is harming the health of the people of Bangladesh which will lead a sick nation in the near future.
Here and now, it is high time expected resolve the issues of current multi-bodied control mechanisms of food safety issues with the existing laws in Bangladesh. Nonetheless, the law itself does not guarantee that scenarios will change overnight. Strong implementation strategies must be outlined to all non-compliance issues can be dealt accordingly. The law’s strict and clear implementation and rigorous monitoring in the marketplaces would gradually improve the situation.
Lack of awareness, negligence and indifference among consumers are also obstacles to ensuring food safety. We are not aware about our consumer rights and not know nutritional value of the food we take. Surprisingly, even educated people are not cognizant about what food they are eating. These challenges are fuelled, mostly, by cheap, convenient, and highly-processed foods that are appealing to the taste. The changing cultural and social practices are also playing a role. However, food behavioural change among people and awareness among of food sellers about maintaining safe food supply are imperative to reduce the risk to vulnerability to unsafe food.
Everyone’s collective effort can reduce food adulteration. Food adulteration is a punishable offence and government should take serious action against it. The government along with non-governmental and private sectors should frame out national plan to create public awareness about food safety and health hazards. A major social movement should be initiated with high level political commitment, strong leadership, mass social communications, intense community engagement and robust policy advocacy. Consumer right activists, civil society, youth group, students and women activists should be more vocal and loud and implement mass campaigns to prevent adulteration and promote food safety. Everyone must have access to reliable and up-to-date food related information. Most importantly, everyone should work towards the common motto: safe food from farm to plate.
Easy way eliminates formalin from food: Tips to remove formalin from vegetables – Vegetables may be ripening by formalin/formaldehyde. To eliminate formalin from vegetables, sink those vegetables under salt-water (water: salt=90:10) for at least 10-15 minutes. After that, wash them again with fresh water. Finally, you can cook them without being worried anymore. This process will eliminate formalin (95%) from the vegetables. Tips to remove formalin from fruits – Fruits can be preserved for a long time by using formalin. If you suspect that the fruits you bought contain formalin, you must sink it under salty water for at least 1 hour, after that wash them with normal fresh water. Then, the formalin will be eliminated and you can take those fruits without any doubt. This process removes 95% formalin from fruits. Tips to remove formalin from fishes – If you suspect that your fish has formalin or might have formalin then sink those fishes under salty-water for one hour. It will eliminate about 60% formalin. But, If you sink it under salt-water for one and half hour, 90% formalin would be eliminated. Again, if you sink the fishes under vinegar mixed water [20% vinegar: 80% water], 100% formalin elimination may be guaranteed.
Using formalin in foods turns into silent poison which killing us silently/ harms our health and causes several fatal diseases. Hence, a collaborative action is badly needed by all the stakeholders to create awareness and enforcing laws to curb the peril arranging a safe and healthy life.
Last of all, have fresh foods daily and live well. We may easily get rid of formalin with the help of above mentioned tips. If you feel this information helpful, kindly, share it to friends, relatives and please speak-up/campaign against illegal use of formalin.
(Taslim Ahammad, Assistant Professor, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj, Bangladesh)
