Level of Formalin in Some Fish Species Along the Coast of Central Region

Abstract

Fish is the most widely consumed seafood and the basic diet for most people worldwide, with Ghana consuming over 154 million tonnes annually. However, certain chemicals (formalin) used by some fishermen to preserve fish for transit, may cause food contamination and subsequently health hazards. This study sought to examine and ascertain formalin levels present in commonly eaten fish species caught from the central coast of Ghana. Fresh fish samples were conveniently collected and paid for from various fishmongers and fishermen in Anomabo, Biriwa, Moree, and Elmina. The fish were immediately kept in ice filled in an ice chest and transported to the chemistry laboratory University Cape Coast for further analysis. At the Laboratory, purification of fat was carried out using the Soxhlet Extraction Clean-up method. Findings show that, formalin levels in Bluntnose Lizard fish (Akoteakote) caught at Elmina were considerably high, (59.180 ± 0.611 ppm). However, herrings, also caught from Elmina recorded lower formalin concentration measured at 0.871 ± 0.812 ppm implying that different fishes accumulate different levels of formalin. Also, fish caught from Elmina and Moree exhibited similar formalin levels, with a correlation value of 0.983. The high levels of formalin found in some fish samples raises a concern for health authorities to put measures in place to protect aquatic and human health. It was thus recommended that standardized preservation protocols, increased monitoring and regulation, and public awareness campaigns on fish preservation should be implemented by the government and other regulatory bodies.