Fish made 'fresh' thru adulteration

Fish ready for sale in Jhalakathi's twice-weekly Bargri Hat market couldn't be more attractive. The fish look fresh and shiny; but the appearance is deceptive. Many of the fish have been adulterated through the indiscriminate use of dyes and preservatives. It's an illegal process that both fishers and fishmongers believe is essential to maximise profit.

“Sometimes by the time they reach the market the fish have lost their colour,” says one trader, seeking anonymity. “We mix dyes and preservatives to get a decent price. It keeps the fish fresh for longer and makes it more appealing to look at. Nobody wants to buy fish that don't look so fresh.”

“Whether from the river or the sea, most fish are mixed in colours and preservatives,” admits one fish wholesaler from Rajapur, who supplies the fish he buys there to several districts. “First a rosy colouring is mixed in a bucket of water; then the fish is soaked in it. Ice is applied to the fish too and the result is that they look in perfect condition.”

“We have been applying such techniques for many years,” observes a fishmonger from Kathalia Bazar. “It keeps the fish fresh for longer.”

Dr. Abdullah Al-Noman Pavel, an oncology specialist from the National Cancer Research Institute and Hospital in Dhaka is less impressed with the practice. “The chemicals they use are a health risk to the human body. They can cause stomach cancer and damage the stomach's proper functioning.”

Jhalakathi's civil surgeon, Dr. Shamol Krishna Howlader says he is aware of the problem is taking measures to address it. “Our sanitary inspector and a magistrate often operate mobile courts in various fish markets to prevent the use of harmful chemicals in seafood,” he says, “though we don't have a portable chemical detection machine available.”