Cuttack: Municipal corporation officials collected fish samples from six markets here on Wednesday following random tests that hinted at a possibility of formalin presence.

On Sunday, the civic body had collected fish from eight places and tests at the state laboratory in Bhubaneswar revealed on Tuesday that there was no trace of formalin in the samples.

However, the civic body is not ready to take any chances and collected fresh samples on Wednesday after random tests.

Formalin is a preservative that can lead to cancer if consumed over a long period. The chemical can also cause nausea and other ailments in the short term.

Cuttack food safety officer P.K. Pradhan said: "The government won't stop taking precautionary measures and regular testing will continue."

"The new test kit will help detect contaminated fish with better efficacy," he said.

A civic official said infected fish could easily enter the market, as entire lots could not be seized without any supportive test results.

By the time the results arrive, the fish would already reach the market and become impossible to track.

Health officer Umesh Panigrahi said: "The quick test kit makes it possible for us to detect contamination on the spot."

The new test constitutes three elements - two liquid chemicals, a specially formulated liquid chemical and another specially formulated paper. The paper is first rubbed on the fish and then treated to a few drops of the reagent chemical. If the paper turns blue, the fish is contaminated. If the fish is uncontaminated, the colour will remain unchanged.

"We have collected the samples for final confirmation as the paper turned light blue during the test," Panigrahi said.

"As seizures were not possible till availability of the test reports, people should not buy fish from places where tests have hinted at formalin contamination," Panigrahi said.

The tests were carried out at fish markets at Madhupatna, Jobra, Jagatpur and Choudwar.

He said the tests were primarily conducted on fish from Andhra Pradesh.