The Dhaka Times Desk Nowadays, many traders in our country use formalin to preserve perishable food products. This chemical substance is mostly used in fish and fruits in particular. It is very harmful to our body.
Chemically, formalin is a 40 percent aqueous solution of formaldehyde. It is commonly used in medical science and biology lab research to preserve animals or animal parts. A toxic acid closest to formalin is formic acid, which is responsible for the itching sensation experienced in ant bites. If we eat food containing formalin without washing it properly, it enters our body, seriously damaging the internal organs.
How to formalinize a formalinized food:
One thing to be aware of is that formalin is a water soluble substance. So usually the fruits bought from the market should be washed well and consumed. But what you can do with other food items is-
1. Soak the vegetables in salted saffron warm water for about 20 minutes. Then wash well with normal water and cook.
2. In case of fruits brought from the market, first soak them in water for 1 hour. Then clean it well and peel it and eat it.
3. Soak the fish in salt water for an hour. This will destroy the formalin. However, it is best to mix one cup of vinegar in one liter of water and immerse it for an hour, then almost 95 percent formalin is freed. If you don't have vinegar on hand, you can use lemon juice.
4. Soaking in water mixed with vinegar is very effective for dried fish. But after soaking, wash thoroughly and boil the dried fruit thoroughly.
Formalinize your food using these formalinization methods. By doing this, the quality of your food will be good, so you and your family will be healthy.
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