(ECNS) - Chinese fish traders are using unapproved anesthetics and industrial alcohol to sedate live fish during transport, raising food safety concerns and prompting regulatory action after a state media investigation.
An undercover probe by CCTV reporters found that in markets including Chongqing and Linyi, Shandong province, fish transported over long distances often appeared motionless but revived after oxygenation.
Workers were seen adding liquid labeled as fish anesthetic into containers, after which live fish quickly became immobilized.
Fishmongers said the substances were used to ease handling and reduce damage during transport. The products, commonly referred to as "fish stabilizers," contain eugenol and are often sold without production dates, manufacturers, or licenses.
"After a short period of oxygen supply, the fish will come back to life," one trader was quoted as saying.
The investigation also found that some vendors used industrial alcohol as anesthetics, despite it containing toxic methanol and being banned in food processing.
In one market in Linyi, traders were found directly using industrial alcohol, while in Anhui's Suzhou logistics hub, the anesthetic MS-222—also not approved for edible fish in China—was reportedly in use.
China has not approved eugenol or MS-222 for use in live aquatic products and has not set residue limits or testing standards, leaving a regulatory gap.
A Jiangxi-based manufacturer said eugenol is exported as a food additive but later repackaged by small workshops into unregulated fish anesthetics. The compound can take at least 48 hours to fully metabolize in fish.
Following the investigation, the State Administration for Market Regulation launched coordinated inspections with local authorities in Chongqing and Shandong, seizing substances and collecting samples for testing.
(By Zhang Jiahao)
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