The Food and Drug Administration had collected 39 food products for testing and found formalin in two crispy squid samples, FDA deputy secretary-general Manit Arunakul, said yesterday.

Crispy squid is widely used in the popular yentafo noodle soup.

In the previous inspection of the market, 48 samples were collected and formalin was found in three beef items and two crispy squid items.

The FDA warned crispy squid sellers not to sell the formalin-contaminated products or they would face legal action, said Manit, who called the vendors' action "irresponsible".

If they cooperated with the authority, their evidence could lead to the arrest and punishment of the manufacturers, he said.

Formalin contains formaldehyde, which is harmful to liver and kidney cells, and can cause renal failure, stomach illness, nausea and vomiting, Manit said.

The vendors told FDA officials they received the crispy squid from suppliers in Yaowarat, Saphan Mai and Don Muang.

One of the vendors, Wichian Ruamrak, said she was earlier told by a school that her goods were contaminated but she kept on selling because people still bought from her. She said she would stop selling the contaminated crispy squid.

If the FDA was serious, they should be at the market at 2am when the suppliers deliver the goods, she added.

Besides squid samples, FDA officials also collected fermented bamboo shoots for testing. Manufacturers are required to keep the pH value of fermented shoots below 4.6 to prevent Clostridium Botulinum growth, Manit said.

This inspection followed an incident in Nan province in which some 200 villagers suffered from botulism poisoning after eating fermented bamboo shoots that had not been treated with citric acid to keep the pH value down, he said.

The officials took four bamboo-shoot samples at Huai Khwang market and all were found to have a pH value higher than the restricted level. Some had a pH value of 5, Manit said.

Officials informed the sellers they must abide by the consumer protection law.

To provide protection for consumers, the FDA is on watch for six contaminants in food products: pesticide residue, sodium borate, salbutamol, sodium hydrosulfite, formalin and salicylic acid.

Pesticide residue was the most commonly found contaminant on fruits and vegetables, prompting the authority to conduct random checks on goods sold in fresh markets.

The manufacturers and vendors of contaminated products would be liable to a jail sentence of up to two years and/or a fine of up to Bt20,000.

Duangkamol

Sajirawatthanakul

The Nation