The septic waste is returning to our food. The latest indicator is the presence of toxigenic E coli in seafood samples collected from retail markets, fish farms and landing centres in Ernakulam district and neighbouring areas. The presence of E coli signifies the faecal sewage contamination in food and water.
Over the past one year, around 123 samples of fish were taken and analyzed at the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), which is a nationally-accredited agency by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for testing the quality of fish.
The study team, consisting of Dr K V Lalitha, V Murugadas and Toms C Joseph, screened the fish samples, including shellfish. Pathogenic E coli was found in 23.4% of the 123 seafood samples while other strains, especially enterotoxigenic E coli (ETEC), was seen in 18.6% of the specimens.
FoodWorld 