Using formalin in different foods, fruits and vegetables has become a common phenomenon in Bangladesh. Some culprit traders, producers and stockers have been intentionally mixing formalin with daily needed goods. It is now a burning issue in the country. People are now feared of buying & eating fruits, vegetables, fishes and other goods. Eating formalin mixed foods can create a number of serious diseases in human body. People are accustomed to eat fruits for nutrients but such nutrients fruits have become cause of death only because of some unscrupulous traders. In recent time, formalin has found in most of the fruits, vegetables, fish and some other necessary commodities.
Formalin is a colorless chemical which contain about 40% water of the gas formaldehyde (CH2O). It is chiefly used to preserve - biological specimens, dead bodies in hospital, tissue samples, etc and also used in different industries like textiles, papers plastic, paint etc to preserve and protect products. Formaldehyde gives a kind of pungent and irritating smell. But such things are now used by some traders in our country for preserving and maturing fruits, vegetables, fishes etc.
Formalin is seriously harmful for human body. Due to long-term effect of chemicals and pesticides, many diseases like cancer, kidney failure, liver damage, lung problems, asthma, diarrhea, cough, indigestion, allergic problem etc can be created in body. Moreover, because of formalin's effect brain can disorder or even loss of memory. According to doctor's view, if 125 ppm (parts per million) formalin enter into human body, it will damage liver and children body's various parts can disable. Besides, a man can die of stroke caused by formalin's effect. It also may weak human heart.
The Commerce Minister of Bangladesh, Tofail Ahmed, has told in the Parliament that a total of 38 companies had been imported 1,073 tonnes of formalin in the last 4-year of which only in the last year imported 55,000 kg of formalin in the country. According to National Board of Revenue (NBR) report, formalin was imported in 2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2011-2012 and 2012-13 respectively 544 tonnes, 269 tonnes, 205 tonnes, and 55 tonnes.
It has found that the greedy farmers, producers, stockers, traders use formalin, chemical, artificial color, pesticide, ethephon etc for more profit. It is hardly to find any foods, fruits or vegetables that are free from formalin in the country. Recently, the Mobile Courts drives countrywide anti-adulteration raid and found many formalin & harmful chemical mixed fruits, vegetables and food items. Adulteration of food has become a common phenomenon to some deviated traders. Fruits, vegetables, fish and some other food items are the key products where formalin's presence found at dreadful level. Moreover, antibiotics are found in chicken and fish that are too harmful for human body. In spite of various steps from the government, civil force, BSTI, and trade organization; mixing of toxic chemicals still remains at fearful level. Formalin's presence found in most of the common fruits in the country.
However, formalin mixed foods can keep safe by following some ways. Formalin mixed fish can keep safe if it puts into water for 1-hour, about 60% formalin drive out in this way. If fish puts into saltwater, about 90% formalin will be removed. In addition, if fish & fruits put into 'Vinegar' mixed water for 15 minutes, formalin will be totally driven out. Furthermore, by keeping fruits into water at least for 1-hour and changing water for 2/3 times, the quantity of formalin will reduce vastly. For Vegetable, before cooking dip it into water for 20 minutes, the quantity of formalin will reduce.
To control the misuse of formalin, the Government of Bangladesh formulated the Formalin Control Act, 2014 and cabinet division has approved the draft law of it, according to Samakal. The Act has already been assessed. The Food Safety Act - 2013 was not effectively check the abuse of the chemical in the country. Hence, the Formalin Control Act, 2014 is very essential to carry into effect as soon as possible so that misuse of toxic chemical, pesticides etc will be under control.
Formalin is mainly used at hospitals, laboratories and other pharmaceutical industries. But now such things are used by some so-called traders in foods, fruits and vegetables. It is really a great offence. Though effect of formalin in human body does not perceive very quickly, it destroys human body very slowly. Without being proper monitoring and moral sense & practice, the misuse of formalin cannot be stopped in Bangladesh. The traders, retailers, stockers and producers must have to think the matter seriously from ethical point of view. Formalin detection kits must be made available to all markets and public places so that people can check formalin presence, before buying foods. Moreover, Government should have strict monitoring system on importing and using of chemical products in the country.