Our formalin intake

It may have started as rumor, but since it is now widespread and has become common knowledge to people, the suspicion that fish, vegetables, fruits, and other eatables are being preserved by vendors with formalin while yet unsold must indeed be investigated and given attention to determine the truth behind it.

For sure, not all of these vendors have freezers or refrigerators for use in their merchandise. And if they have, their items of, say, assorted vegetables would not be accommodated in just one refrigerator, oversized though it is. It would take a gigantic one, or numerous units, to be able to refrigerate these eatables just so their freshness would be maintained. But doing this would make them consume so much electricity that, as a result, they would be at a losing end.

And so, to be able to preserve these items prior to their sale, vendors have to use any means so that as days pass by, these eatables will not deteriorate and rot, to their financial loss. This entails the use of preservatives such as salt, ice, vinegar and, yes, formalin, the chemical used to embalm dead bodies. Salt would make food items salty; the use of ice would require huge containers and ice blocs hence impractical; vinegar could change tastes into sour ones; but formalin could be used with ease and secrecy without those inconveniences and costly procedures.

Knowing all these, and given today’s greed for money at all costs, consumers could not help but suspect, indeed, more so that such procedure of preservation using this chemical must have already leaked to public knowledge. Observation, moreover, adds up to this suspicion, because you buy a fresh-looking vegetable, for instance, but in just a matter of hours later, while you delay in cooking it at home, that thing will surprisingly deteriorate so fast, which could only be explained by the absence of preservative maintenance without which this vegetable must have already rotten long ago.

Imagine yourself eating something that has been sprayed or soaked in formalin. Would it not destroy your bodily systems, given the toxicity of the chemical? Common sense tells it would, even if you will wash the thing thoroughly. Good if you eat such a thing only once, but if you ignorantly do so over and over again, as many of us are vegetable and fruit lovers, then sooner or later, you will indeed end up in misery, because rather than preserving our bodies, that chemical is sure to ruin our health and eventually risk our lives.

Government authorities then must seriously look into this matter, and soon, without respect of persons, and without accepting bribe money in case it comes their way knowing that they themselves, or their friends and loved ones, could be a victim of this diabolical business procedure. Thorough and large-scale investigation must be made, and those who would be found guilty of this inhuman act must be slapped with severe penalties so as to stop this menace once and for all.

By: Doms Pagliawan

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