THE Davao City Agriculturists Office (CAO) confirmed that public markets in the city have no formalin-contaminated galunggong (round scad) after the collected samples for laboratory tests last week were found negative of formalin.
“Pinuntahan namin yung mga palengke ang we get samples (of galunggong) for laboratory, so far the result is negative,” Bienvenido Pogoy, CAO Municipal Agricultural officer, said during the iSpeak media forum Thursday, September 20, adding that they are working closely with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in monitoring and inspection of reported formalin-injected products in the market.
The public markets that had been monitored are Bankerohan, Agdao, and Toril.
Pogoy said the Philippine Fish Authority (PFA) declared Davao City’s imported fish commodities safe from contamination.
Illegal injection in fish commodities in order to keep the products look fresh, however, may have been done during the distribution inside the market.
“Kung dunay mga himuon na illegal like i-submerge or inject-an og formalin, probably, didto na sa distribution sa mga palengke (If there’s any illegalities like submerging or injecting the fish products with formalin, this will only happen during distribution in the markets),” he said.
“So ang bantayan namo [CAO], kanang distribution sa mga trader,” he added.
CAO assured the public of their continued monitoring and inspection of fish commodities in the public markets within the city to ensure their safety to consumers.
The inspection in markets was immediately done after the CAO received reports that there were unscrupulous businessmen who inject their galungguong with formalin to look fresh. (LHC)