The Indian food authority, FSSAI, has made the FSS (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Amendment Regulations, 2021, which limits the amount of naturally occurring formaldehyde in freshwater and saltwater fish, work again.
The FSSAI order says, “These draft regulations were notified, and final regulations are likely to take some more time before they are notified and enforced.” Keeping in mind the public health interest and to ensure food safety and fair practices in the operations of food businesses, it has been decided to re-operationalize the provisions of these regulations with effect from September 13, 2022, and ask food businesses to follow these provisions.
According to the rules, the fish were put into four groups, and the amount of formaldehyde in each group was limited.
Group 1 includes all marine species that are finfishes, such as Barracuda, Billfish, Bombay Duck, Bullseyes, Catfish, Croakers, Eels, File Fishes and Puffers, Flat Fishes, Goatfishes, Groupers (Rock Cods), Half Beaks and Full Beaks, Horse Mackerel, Leather Jacket (Queen Fish), Mackerel, Mullets, and Other Carangids.
Group II is made up of freshwater fish, such as finfish, crustaceans, and mollusks. This group includes Indian major carps, minor carps, exotic carps, freshwater catfishes, snakeheads and Murrells, tilapia, trout, and all other freshwater fin fishes.
Formaldehyde can’t be more than 4.0 mg/kg in either Group I or Group II.
Group III is made up of marine species like lizard fishes and any other marine fishes not in Group I. The limit for formaldehyde in Group III is 8 mg/kg, while the limit for formaldehyde in Group IV is 100 mg/kg for all frozen marine fish products.
The regulations said that the limits could be changed based on data collected during different seasons and in different parts of the world, as well as on the analysis and advice of the scientific panel as needed. For fish and fish products from the sea that are not in Groups I or II, the limit for naturally occurring formaldehyde is 100 ppm.
The FSSAI made these rules about how much naturally occurring formaldehyde is allowed in freshwater and marine fish. They went into effect on February 10, 2020, and will be put back into effect in August 2020, November 2020, September 2021, and May 2022.