Authorities in Wuxi, Jiangsu province have confirmed Formaldehyde contained fish sold at a local wet market. It is said that the fish contained high level of formaldehyde, as some vendors and dealers had illegally used formaldehyde to preserve whitebait. In a statement Wuxi agriculture and forestry bureau said that Whitebait is famous for its delicious taste and as a renowned catch of the Taihu Lake area.
According to the bureau the government had already launched a citywide inspection of aquatic products to ensure food safety. It is said that the Whitebait fish found with formaldehyde will be destroyed. The bureau explained that once soaked in formaldehyde, whitebait becomes rubbery and hard to chew as well as a threat to the health of people.
A local consumer said that he was wondering why the whitebait he bought a few days ago had tasted like rubber. He added that later he come to know that it was contaminated. So far no adverse symptom has been reported form any consumers. Suzhou, a neighboring city, was reported to have also found contaminated fish.
It is fact that formaldehyde is banned from food production under the food hygiene law. Meanwhile, produce sold at wet markets continued to undergo safety tests. According to latest figures from the Wuxi food safety 86.6 percent of aquatic products were deemed safe and qualified last month.
