PANAJI
In 2018, a routine check revealed that imported fish consignments entering Goa in trucks were laced with formalin, a carcinogenic preservative used to keep fish looking fresh during transport. The discovery triggered panic across the State. Fish vanished from plates, restaurants scrambled for alternatives, and the government imposed temporary curbs and conditions on imports.
But the scandal was not just about contaminated fish -- it was also about governance, as well.
The empowered officer for South Goa district, Eva Fernandes, who conducted the raid under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), was swiftly stripped of her powers by the then Manohar Parrikar-led administration.
Worse, she was banished to what insiders described as a “Siberian posting” in the cellars of the FDA, effectively silencing the whistleblower. The move raised serious questions about political interference in food safety enforcement.
At the time, the government promised to set up a “world-class testing laboratory” at the SGPDA wholesale fish market in Margao to reassure the public. That promise remains unfulfilled to date with subsequent administrations having failed to deliver the infrastructure needed to ensure rigorous, transparent testing of fish consignments.
What has changed since?
FDA checks remain weak: Recent investigations at the Polem checkpost in 2025 revealed that FDA inspections are often perfunctory. Truck owners reportedly offer samples of their choice, which are cleared without thorough testing, leaving most consignments suspect.
The US FDA has issued multiple import alerts against Indian seafood products in 2025“2026, citing decomposition, misbranding, and contamination. These highlight systemic lapses in monitoring seafood exports and raise even more questions about domestic safety standards too.
No transparent reporting
While border checks and random sampling are said to continue, there is little public disclosure of results. Consumers continue to remain in the dark about whether the fish they buy is truly safe.
Why it matters
Families are paying more for fish while still uncertain about its safety even as the silencing of an empowered officer then, and the failure to build promised infrastructure, exposes how governance has failed consumers.
Goa’s culinary identity depends on seafood. Food safety lapses risk damaging local trust. This situation is even more alarming for the tourist and hospitality trade.
The forgotten formalin scare is not just a story of contaminated fish -- it is a story of how public health concerns vanish once the headlines fade.
As Goans struggle with soaring fish prices today, the question must be asked: are we paying more for fish that is truly safe, or has vigilance slipped back into complacency?
