30 kg rotten fish destroyed at Mandapam

MADURAI: In a joint surprise check by officials from Departments of Food Safety and Fisheries, 30 kg of rotten fish were seized at Mandapam on Thursday. E Kathavarayan, Regional Deputy Director of Fisheries, Ramanathapuram, said such checks would be carried out once in every fortnight to ensure fresh fish meat. The consumers need to be aware and ensure whether the flesh had the translucent quality and was firm. Normally, most of the vendors would lift the gills to show the interior of the fish had bright reddish colour to ensure the seafood’s freshness, he said. Mandapam Food Safety Officer K Lingavel said of the 17 stalls, the rotten fish was found in a box from one vendor. A team also conducted surprise raids in 27 ice plants to check use of formalin.