Z300 machine tests formalin in the air, not foodstuff, says BCSIR

The Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) has said the instrument being used to test foodstuff for formalin contamination is meant for detection of formalin in the air.

The state-run scientific research organisation has submitted a report on the issue following a High Court order.

BCSIR scientists collected the instrument from the market and ran tests on fruit samples.

Munzil Murshid, whose petition brought about the court order, said he received a copy of the report on Tuesday.

The report said the Formaldehyde Vapour Meter Z300, manufactured by Environmental Sensor, was a sensitive device for accurately measuring formaldehyde vapour in the air and the environment.

The manufacturers do not provide any application note on how to use the machine to measure formaldehyde in food.

The report said BCSIR scientists immersed the fruit samples in 5 percent formaldehyde solution and dried them at room temperature. Then the contaminated fruit and sample fruit were put in polyethylene bags for some time. Then the machine was used to measure formaldehyde in the air inside those bags.

This is the same method mobile courts use to test fruits for formalin in the markets.

“The tests showed that the machine shows different levels of formaldehyde depending on the time, temperature and humidity,” the report said.

“At higher temperatures the machine shows higher levels of formaldehyde even in fresh fruits. So at higher temperatures the machine may give faulty readings for formaldehyde levels.”

The report also said the machine may also detect formaldehyde in the presence of acetone, formic acid, acetic acid and methanol.

“If the machine must be used to measure formaldehyde in food, it has to be developed by the manufacturer’s application engineer and application notes have to be supplied,” it said.

Murshid filed the petition for Bangladesh Food Importers Association at the High Court on Jul 13.

After a hearing, the court ordered BCSIR, Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) and National Food Safety Laboratory to test the machine and submit a report to the court.