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ENGLISH FOR COMMUNICATION AND BUSINESS II

BOGOR, 01 APRIL 2015

1.1

CASE
The widespread use of formalin, in preservation of fish, fruit and other food items is posing a
threat to public health. The chemical used as a solution in water keeps fish fresh and makes

fruits like mangoes attractive. This chemical, usually used to stop dead bodies from rotting, is
now being used to preserve edible items. A recent study by Badan Pengawas Obat dan
Makanan (BPOM), Indonesias department controlling and surveying food and drug, has found
that a section of dishonest traders are using formalin widely in preservation of food items,
including
fish,
tofu,
and
noodles.
Last December (2005), BPOM performed a
laboratorium test of 161 samples of sea products
(including fish, squid, shrimp, oyster, dried salted fish /
squid), tofu, and wet noodles from 6 cities at Lampung,
South Sumatra. The test showed 64 samples were
found positive containing formalin.
Furthermore, BPOM also performed a simple
experiment on the positive samples in attempt to
remove the formalin content. These products were
washed thoroughly and boiled in water with a temperature of 80C for 5 to 10 minutes. The
formalin level was reduced but not fully removed. So the conclusion, once formalin is added, it
can not be removed.

1.2

According to B-POMs observation in Surabaya, of the 91 freely sold processed food samples, 24
of them contain formalin. Other than noodles, other foods that contain high levels of
formaldehyde are tofu, salted fish, and fresh fish. Similar cases are also found in several other
regions such as Bengkulu, Lampung, East Nusa Tenggara and Jakarta. Several surveys
conclude that the reasons food producers use formalin and also borax with no regard of the
danger they impose are because of their strong preservative properties, because they enhance
the visual properties of the food product and because they are cheap. This condition is
encouraged further by the consumers tendency to buy cheap food products with little
consideration of their quality. Thus, the use of formalin and borax is considered normal. The
difficulty of telling which noodle is made using formalin and borax and which is not is also a
factor. The use of formalin in salted and fresh fish processing is also a concern. Discoveries of
formalin in salted fish are found not only in Jakarta region, but also in other salted fish processing
centers in other regions, such as Sukabumi in West Java.

WHAT IS FORMALIN ?
Formalin solution is not dissolve easily in color, volatile, water, and has a sweet sharply. In
formalin contained about 37 percent formaldehid in water. It is usually plus methanol plant up to 15
percent as a preservative. Formalin among aldehida the first with chemical formula; H-CH=O. Formalin
had many names chemicals including is: Formol, Methylene aldehyde, Paraforin, Morbicid,
Oxomethane, Polyoxymethylene glycols, Methanal, Formoform, Superlysoform, Formic aldehyde,
Formalith, Tetraoxymethylene, Methyloxide, Karsan, Trioxane, Oxymethylene and Methyleneglycol.
Formalin is usually used as a bonding agent for plywood and disinfectant to hospital and
equipment to preservative dead bodies. Formalin many incorrectly use for food preservative day-to-day.
The household Some types of equipment that is made of plastic or tons melamine per stream, such as
bowl, plates and glass is also using formalin. Equipment is only safe to use in a cold. influence formalin
to body system depends on how long and how the markup in the body. The immune factors also
specify. But for infant and children tendency formalin danger, because more than systemimun his body
was not perfect. The oksidator formalin could damage the body cells that inhibits metabolism, can even
lead to a cell growth that abnormal (cancer) .
The many found food containing formalin, new claims that some products candy milk and small
food packaging/carb from China also contain formalin. Of course, This fact was very afraid about,
because it is not formalin substance food additive, but instead threaten health. With products that

contain formalin consumed by the society, without conscious broad day-to-day operations, because it
does not know how distinguish food containing formalin or not. Furthermore, also can be caused by
ignorance impact the use of formalin, this substance is still widely used. impact that could not be seen
directly was also made the producers could not be concerned about the long term. Are constantly
formalin accumulation in the body can be fatal that threaten the system of balance the body. Formalin is
one of the kinds of preservative that is very dangerous, When ingested as many as 2 tablespoons, or
30 mL formalin can cause death.
Symptoms that impact if formalin merge into the mouth, throat and stomach felt burned, pain,
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, it is very likely that bleeding stomach on the grounds,, headache,
hypotension, convulsions, do not understand until coma. In addition, also can cause liver, heart, brain,
the spleen, pancreas, nervous system order center and renal failure.
1.3

Formalin Uses :

As disinfectant used to clean floors, ships, warehouses and clothes.

As insecticide.

As ingredient in synthetic silk, pigments, glass and explosives production.

To harden the gelatin and paper layer in photography.

As ingredient in urea fertilizer production.

As ingredient in perfume production.

As preservative in cosmetic products

As nail hardener.

As corrosion inhibitor in oil wells.

As foam insulation component.

As plywood bonding agent.

As embalming agent.

In minute concentration (<1%) it is used as preservative in various consumer products such as

household cleaners, dish washing soap, conditioners, shoe polish, candle and carpet cleaner.

1.4

Misuse of Formalin

Although it is toxic, irresponsible food producers use them in, for example, fresh fish, noodle and tofu.
Of course not all similar food products in the market contain formalin.

Laws and regulations that forbid the use of formalin in food are:
1. UU No 7/1996 tentang Pangan.

2. UU No 8/1999 tentang Perlindungan Konsumen.

3. Peraturan Menteri Kesehatan (Menkes) Nomor 1168/Menkes/PER/X/1999.
4. Peraturan Pemerintah RI Nomor 28 Tahun 2004 tentang Keamanan, Mutu dan Gizi Pangan.

The use of Formalin that one is the thing that is very regrettable. Through some survey and the lab,
found some food product using formalin as the preservative. Practices, one such as this was done by
manufacturers or food manager who was not responsible, with Some examples products containing
formalin is often known for example:
1. Fresh fish : fresh fish that white color, firm, red color gill (not red fresh), still looks to a
couple of days and is not easy to rot.
2. Chicken pieces : Chicken that has been cut off a white House profit, durable and are not
easily rotten.
3. Wet noodle : wet noodle who still looks to a couple of days and will not be easily spoiled
compared with that does not contain formalin.
4. Tofu : Tofu at the atomic is very good, firm, is not easy to be broken, durable a few days
and will not be easily spoiled

1.5

The characteristics of a food product that contains formalin

As has been described above, that there are some products who deliberately formalin as the
preservative added. To make sure that contain of formalin a food product or not it is needed laboratory
test, We should be careful not to find food product that had features as follows:
1. Tofu which forms is very good, firm, it is not easy were destroyed or damaged or rotten until three
days at room temperature (25 degrees Celsius) and survive
more than 15 days in the temperature refrigerator ( 10
degrees Celsius), too hard, but was not crowded, smell a bit
mengengat;
2. Wet noodle that durable goods were a few days and will not
be easily spoiled compared with that does not contain
formalin, not broken until two days at room temperature ( 25
degrees Celsius) and survive more than 15 days in the
temperature refrigerator ( 10 degrees Celsius), smell a bit
heat, not sticky noodles, and more polished than normal
noodle.
3. Chicken formalin are not damaged up to 2 days at 25
degrees Celsius room temperature, wind-glutinous texture
and smell formalin smell it.
4. Fresh fish which colors white, firm, gills red color not red
fresh, still looks to a couple of days and not easily rotten; not
broken until three days at room temperature ( 25 degrees
Celsius); smells unpleasantly.
5. Meatball who are not damaged until five days at room
temperature ( 25 degrees Celsius), soft texture elastic.
6. Salted fish that are not damaged to more than 1-month at room temperature ( 25 degrees Celsius),
profit bright, not smell typical salted fish, not fly-blown in the insect area.

1.6

Why Should We Be Cautious???

Formalin is toxic and dangerous to human health. If allowed to accumulate in the body, it will react
chemically with almost every chemical found inside the cell, inhibiting the cells functions and kills it,
causing poisoning.

High formalin levels in the body also cause stomach irritation, allergic reactions, cancer and mutations.
Person who consumes it will experience frequent vomiting, exudative (bloody) diarrhea, hematuria
(bloody urine) and eventually dies because of blood circulation failure.

Formalin evaporates as a colorless gas with pungent odor. It irritates nasal passages, throat and eyes.

1.7

The Effects of Formalin on Human Health

Acute effects, which are immediately observed: irritations, allergic reactions, rashes, watery eyes,
nausea, vomiting, burning sensation, stomachache and dizziness.

Chronic effects, which are observed after prolonged exposure or consumption: chronic irritations,
problems in digestive system, liver, kidney, pancreas, central nerve system and female reproductive
system. Test on animals shows that it causes cancer, while on human it is known to be a human
carcinogen.
EXPLAIN :
Formalin is toxic substances and very irritating mixture contacts for skin and eyes. Formalin for the
human body is known sebagau toxic substances, carcinogens (causes cancer), mutagen (causing
changes cells, tissues), Excellent and wear protection and irritating mixture contacts. Steam room of
formalin itself is very bebahaya if inhaled by respiratory and is also very dangerous and irritating
mixture contacts if ingested man. For an eye, as far as encerpun formalin was still irritating mixture
contacts. If ingested so a person must be many waters was drinked and immediately (stomach) has
been asked to regurgitate the contents.
Bad impact for health in a person who exposed to formalin could happen because shelf acute or
chronic exposure that directly for years, among others headache, chronic inflammation nose (allergic
rhinitis, nausea, disturbance and respiratory either coughing chronic liver disease or shortness of
breath chronic liver disease. Formalin also can damage persyarafan human body and are well-known
as the substance that is toxic to persyarafan our bodies (neurotoksik). disorder in persyarafan
a difficult sleep, sensitive, easy to forget, it is difficult to concentrate. In women will cause vexation
menstruation and infertilas. Formalin also can be absorbed by the shell and as mentioned above can
also be inhaled by respiratory tract. Thus with direct contact with the substance without engulfing it can
also have a negative impact on health. The use of formalin long-term in human beings can cause
cancer mouth and throat. Even in animal research cause skin cancer and lung cancer.
Danger peoples' exposure formalin short-term and long-term, are:
1. When it is inhaled
Acute:

In the nose and throat Irritation, burning feeling disorders respiratory tract, in the nose and throat
and coughing.

Tissue damage and injuries to respiratory such as lung inflammation, swelling lung cancer.

Some other signs on sneezing,, sore throat inflammation uvula chest pains, excessive, fatigue, the
heart, headache, beat nausea and vomiting.

In a high concentration can cause death.

Chronic conditions:

Cause headache, hepatic disorders headache, coughs to cough rhinitis, nausea, dizziness,, the
wound in the kidneys and sensitisasi in the lungs.

Sleep disorders Effect neuropsikologis on, quickly angry, the balance disturbed, and memory loss
konsentrsi reduced.

Disturbance menstruation and infertility in women.

Nose Cancer, nasal cavities, mouth, throat, lungs and brain.

2. If exposed skin
Acute:

A color change, the skin to red, hardening, and there are burning feeling.

Chronic conditions:

It was hot, numb, itching and milk, damage to her fingers, the road pavement skin and sensitivity on
the skin, and inflammatory skin that causes a bubble.

3. When struck by asian

Acute:

Cause eye irritation so the eyes cow, pain, rashes and blurred vision and shed tears.

Chronic conditions:

Rhinitis.

4. If it had swallowed:
Acute:

His mouth, throat and stomach felt were burned down, pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, it is
very likely that bleeding stomach on the grounds,, headache, hypotension, convulsions and coma.

Damage in the heart, the heart, brain, the spleen, pancreas, CNS and renal failure.

Chronic conditions:

1.8

Irritation in the digestive tract, vomiting and dizzy, experienced body temperature and itches in the
chest.

SOLUTION
Issue of formalin that was found in food and utensils this day-to-day it must be monitored. But
should not behave excessive does not mean that we should. views do not eat tofu, meatballs, wet
noodle or salted fish. Or we do not have to avoid plastic materials or tons mmelamine per stream to
utensils. Because not all food and utensils containing formalin value. The important thing consumers
must thoroughly with implementing quality of the food and utensils that bought or used.
Prevention a description directly to formalin must be done, especially for workers industries that
use formalin. So that it will not inhaled use protective equipment, such as respiratory masks, cain and
other tools that can prevent a possible entry into formalin nose or mouth. Vacuum cleaner ventilation
system Complete with air (exhaust fan) who is approved an explosion. Eye or Use protective glasses
that is able to withstand any safeguard spark. Provide water tap to wash asian troublemakers on a
useful when there is an accident emergency. Prevention a description on the skin gloves should use
protective clothing and chemicals that resistant to chemicals. Avoid eating, drinking and smoking during
their work or wash your hands before eating. Although the impact is dangerous if markup in the body, it
is not wise if prohibiting the use of formalin. Many industry requires formalin so that it has to be wise in
doing so.

1.9

To help the victims were intoxicated formalin

When it is inhaled

If those explanation to the area is not safe, move to patients with consigned to a safe if needed to
use once valved or equipment to make a type respiratory made and immediately contact a doctor.

When exposed to eyes

Rinse eyes with water,stream water to eyes with edible salt solution with a 0.9 percent ( spoon tip
the edible salt dissolved in a glass of water ) is continuously until patients are ready to be brought to
the hospital and you should take him to doctor.

If exposed skin

Those looking for first-clothes, jewelry and shoes that are affected by Formalin, wash your skin for
15- 20 minutes with soap or detergent soft and liquid that many and make sure that there is no
longer material that will be left skin,on the part that was burned down, protect wound with pakian
dry, sterile, loose, it is necessary to immediately contact a doctor.

If it had swallowed

If needed immediately contact a doctor or be brought to the hospital.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://www.ot.co.id/e_Research_life.aspx?Research_id=13
http://www.bimcbali.com/medical-news/formalin-in-food.html