Visual, Organoleptic, and Physical Detection as Qualitative Indicators of Formalin-Containing Foodstuff: Study on Skipjack Fish

Abstract

To ensure a food contains formaldehyde, the only way is to bring it to a particular laboratory for further analysis, but this method is considered less practical for the general public. This problem encourages researchers to conduct research in order to provide information relating to qualitative indicators that can be used as a marker of formalin-containing food. The purpose of this study was to detect visually, organoleptically and physically the meat of Cakalang fish (Katsuwonis pelamis) which had been intentionally added with formalin. This study used a Randomized Block Design (RBD), with 6 categories of concentration of formalin solution used for dipping Cakalang fish (K. pelamis), namely: F1 = 100000 ppm; F2 = 10000 ppm; F3 = 1000 ppm; F4 = 100 ppm; F5 = 10 ppm; and F6 = 0 ppm. Each treatment was repeated 4 times. Parameters observed were visual, organoleptic (numerical), and physical detection. These parameters were observed after 12 hours of treatment, namely by dipping the fish into formalin solution with various concentrations for 5 minutes. Visual indicator data will be analyzed descriptively, while the organoleptic and physical data will be analyzed non-parametric statistics (Kruskal Wallis Test). The results showed that: (1) visually, the fish dipped in formalin solution with high concentrations (100000, 10000, and 1000 ppm) looked fresher and less deformed than those dipped in formalin with low concentrations (100, 10, and 0 ppm). The fish dipped in formalin was also not infested with flies, in contrast to the fish that was not dipped in formalin; (2) organoleptically, immersion into formalin significantly eliminates foul odor from fish after 12 hours of observation; and (3) physically, dipping into formalin significantly affects the level of hardness of fish meat.

Keywords: qualitative incicators, formalin-containing foodstuff, skipjack fish.