When foreign news sources told about mercury levels present in fish, it seemed very far away from our shores. But now, formalin, a cancer-inducing chemical used illegally to preserve fish: in our markets, in the curries usually we eat at home also outside, in our bodies.
Rather than falling prey to fear and issuing a complete ban on bringing home this a important source of nutrients (iodine from sea fish, healthy fats, vitamins A and D, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium,potasium) here’s what we can do to reduce risks of picking fish with dangerous chemicals.
Colour
Some fishmongers do point to red gills as the way to detect whether fish is fresh or not. Differentiate between reddish-maroon, which shows freshness and maroonish-black, which is a sign of starting decay. However, when formalin is applied in a fish, the fish shows the red coloured gills. Red gills could be a false symbol of freshness. So gauge the appearance of the fish as a whole.
Fins
Many fishermen and fish traders do not take care to preserve anything other than the meat, whether in ice or using formalin. Therefore the condition of the fins and tail will immediately shows the freshness. If the fins begin to shrivel and decay, then avoid the fish. It is very easy to miss the fins, because they always remain folded, and are often the first part of the fish to be cut off, but insist on seeing them spread out, so you could say whether the fish is fresh or not.