Have you ever walked through a night market, gazing at the fish and thinking they’re all incredibly fresh? Well, don’t be fooled by appearances because not every fish is as fresh as it seems.
Recently, it has been reported that a vendor in Sabah’s night markets are allegedly using coloring agents to enhance the visual appeal of the fish they sell, with the aim of attracting more buyers.
M’sian fish trader uses food coloring
Reported by Harian Metro, the Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) has revealed that some fish traders at the Inanam Night Market were discovered to be using coloring agents in an attempt to enhance the appearance of the fish they sell.
This disclosure emerged after an inquiry conducted by the City Environmental Health Department (JKPB) of DBKK in partnership with the Kota Kinabalu Health Office.
The investigation was prompted after a post went viral showing a man adding red coloring into a box filled with fish, believed to have taken place at the suspected night market.
According to Junainah Abbie, the Director-General of DBKK, all 20 fish stalls at the night market underwent thorough inspection before the suspected trader using coloring agents was identified.
“We were able to identify vendors suspected of using these agents to alter the appearance of their fish,” stated Junainah Abbie.
Samples of the fish were then collected by officials from the Kota Kinabalu Health Office for further analysis by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to determine whether the coloring agents involved are harmful or not.
The discovery of fish traders resorting to the use of coloring agents at the Inanam Night Market highlights the need for stringent regulatory measures and heightened awareness among consumers.
Though sellers might think using food coloring to enhance fish appearance is a good idea, it can actually contain harmful chemicals, posing risks to consumers’ health.
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