About 13% of dried fish produced in the country was found to contain pesticides, according to research published on Wednesday.
During the study, 260 samples were tested and 87% of dried fish was found safe, said Dr Md Ariful Islam, senior scientific officer at the Shrimp Research Centre of the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute.
The research results were shared at a seminar titled “Presentation of Research Findings”, organised by the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) at its headquarters in Shahbagh, Dhaka.
Dr Md Ariful Islam said, “60% of our protein comes from fish and meat. Most dried fish producers in the country are uneducated and therefore cannot process it properly. Dried fish is produced from October to March. When there is a lack of sunlight during that time, pesticides are used.”
Higher amounts of endosulfan sulfate were found in dried fish from Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, Dublar Char, Sunamganj, and Chalan Beel.
Additionally, lower levels of dieldrin, heptachlor epoxide, and beta endosulfan were also detected.
Regarding the research, BFSA Chairman Zakaria said, “Seven research initiatives were undertaken in 2022–23, and this is one of them. The findings presented in this research are the researchers’ own and not the responsibility of the BFSA. This is not a reflection of the national situation, but rather a limited issue. We conduct small-scale research, and if high levels of harmful substances are found, we propose large-scale studies to the relevant stakeholders.”
He said that adding pesticides to dried fish will be considered a punishable offense.
Calling for a clear definition of food adulteration, he said, “Many things are socially considered to be irregularities or adulteration, but in reality, they may not be adulteration. Therefore, we need to clearly define what constitutes adulteration. The use of pesticides in dried fish will be treated as adulteration.”
Prof Dr Mohammad Shoaib, member of the BFSA, said that pesticides are indeed being used in dried fish.
He said at the recent Basel Convention, a proposal was made to ban 10 types of pesticides, two of which are currently used in Bangladesh.
The country’s leading production centres for marine dried fish are Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, and Dublar Char, while freshwater dried fish is mainly produced in Chalan Beel (Natore) and Sunamganj. The researchers studied samples collected from all these areas.
Panel discussants included Prof Dr Md Tajul Islam Chowdhury from the Department of Agricultural Chemistry at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Principal Scientific Officer Dr Md Nazmul Bari from the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, and Prof Dr Mohammad Shoaib.
Dr Md Nazmul Bari said that polythene is being used everywhere, so future research should include the issue of microplastics.
He also urged switching from sunlight drying technique to mechanical drying for producing dried fish.
Speakers at the seminar noted that soaking dried fish in water or saltwater for several hours can reduce the harmful effects.
The seminar was presided over by BFSA Member Dr Mohammad Mostafa.
Representatives from private institutions, government offices, civil society, and the media attended the seminar.
