Guwahati: Dispur is likely to resume restrictions on the import of fish after the detection of formalin here yet again.

Dispur had recently imposed a 10-day restriction on import of fish from outside the state from July 11 to July 20.

The restriction was imposed after the state public health laboratory detected formalin in samples of fish collected from Betkuchi market here.

The presence of formalin in fish causes cancer. Food safety department officials have been collecting samples of imported fish in every part of the state.

"We have been carrying out a collection drive in every part of the state and the samples are being tested in the state public health laboratory in Guwahati. Last week, a sample was found positive in formalin detection test. The report has been intimated to the state government and if any such sample is found again, then there is probability of resumption of the restriction," an official of food safety department told The Telegraph.

Senior food safety officer of Kamrup (metro) Tarun Das, who has been carrying out sample collection drives here, said: "The formalin-positive sample was collected from Dipak Prasad of Betkuchi fish market. The most important thing is that, the amount of formalin detected recently is the same as the earlier report based on which state government had imposed a restriction for 10 days."

"A case has been filed in court here against the retailer under the Food Safety Act. But formalin may be used in the source, so we are also trying to get details about the exporter," Das added.

Sources said formalin is used along the Assam-Bengal border to preserve unsold fish.

However, the latest detection of formalin in imported fish has been reported even after assurance from the Andhra Pradesh government to export fish with proper marking on packets and packets found without or broken government seals will not to be allowed to sell in the market.

The Assam state public health laboratory has also been facing a huge workload as all districts have been sending two to three fish samples everyday.

"We are going through a very busy period. Everyday fish samples are coming to our laboratory. If one district sends the sample in the morning, we send them the report by evening through email and Whatsapp. The tests are being carried out with the kits supplied by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)," said the chief analyst of the laboratory, Anupam Gogoi.

The FSSAI, a body under the ministry of health and family welfare, which was created to lay down science-based standards for food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption, has supplied 50 kits to detect formalin in fish to Assam free of cost.