Formalin is a highly volatile substance, so it plays no role in preserving or ripening fruit, speakers said at a seminar on Thursday.

The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) organised the seminar, titled "The role of nutrition and good household practice in ensuring safe food".

Speakers said formalin reacts with protein-based foods, so everyone should eat fruit regularly.

BFSA chairman (Additional Secretary) Zakaria was the chief guest. He said ensuring safe food needs coordination between agencies. Many government bodies are involved in one way or another in running food businesses, and getting all of them round one table to agree on anything is very complex and time-consuming. A safe food environment must therefore be built step by step with everyone's cooperation, he said.

After a welcome address by BFSA member Dr Mohammad Mostafa, Professor Dr Khaleda Islam, director of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science at Dhaka University, presented the keynote paper.

Dr Umme Salma Munni, nutritionist and consultant at Monowara Hospital in the capital, was a discussant.

BFSA member (Additional Secretary) Abu Noor Md Shamsuzzaman presided. Officials of the Food Ministry and food safety officials, food traders, leaders of the restaurant owners' association, representatives of food companies and journalists were among those present.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.