In China, fish vendors in various aquatic markets have been found to commonly use anesthetics, and even industrial alcohol, to keep live fish in a state of “sleep” during transportation. Fish artificially induced into a “hypnotized” state are being served on dinner tables before fully metabolized, which can lead to damages to the liver and kidneys. In severe cases, it may cause blindness or even death.
Reported by “CCTV News,” at the Lebang aquatic market in Chongqing City, a large number of live fish transported from long distances arrive at the market in a “sleeping” state. They appear lifeless in water, but after changing water and oxygenating for a moment, they return to normal. Local vendors who are informed about this phenomenon refer to it as “fish sleeping.”
During transportation, workers add a liquid called “fish guard treasure” into the buckets containing live fish. Through stirring, the lively and jumping fish in the buckets instantly become quiet and limp. However, these liquids fall under the Chinese official definition of “three noes” products, meaning they lack a production date, manufacturer, and production permit.
Fish vendors disclosed that these added liquids are actually anesthetics meant for “convenience in loading and unloading,” preventing fish scales from falling off during transport. These “three noes” products named “fish stun king,” “fish safety treasure,” and “fish guard treasure” mainly contain eugenol.
Medical experts believe that long-term and excessive intake of eugenol may harm the liver and kidneys, with pregnant women and children needing to be extra cautious, while also avoiding concurrent use with anticoagulants or sedatives.
Not restricted to Chongqing, a similar situation exists at the Qiangsheng seafood wholesale market in Linyi City, Shandong Province, where some vendors even use more potent industrial alcohol. Industrial alcohol contains toxic methanol and if consumed can lead to blindness, damage internal organs, and even be life-threatening.
In the Bai Da market product logistics center in Suzhou City, Anhui Province, vehicles transporting live fish have long been using anesthetics, including MS-222, which is not approved for edible fish. The management of the Lebang aquatic market in Chongqing stated that they regularly sample 14 species of fish, with eugenol not included in the testing scope; national standards for fish anesthetics are not regulated and not part of the testing system.
These anesthetic substances do not immediately disappear. Eugenol takes at least 48 hours to be completely metabolized in fish bodies, and MS-222 is not approved for edible fish. This means that a large number of “anesthetized” fish enter the consumer market before completing metabolism. Consumers are faced not only with the question of “freshness” but also of “safety.”
Some critics point out that the root cause of the live fish anesthesia issue lies in the long-term institutional ambiguity – “neither prohibited nor allowed,” causing the industry to operate in a gray area. Despite media exposure, some regulators choose to “turn a blind eye” to violations, allowing risks to accumulate continuously. It has been suggested that using industrial alcohol for anesthetizing live fish is “almost like poisoning.”
This incident is not an isolated case, as in recent years, there have been continuous food safety scandals in China, such as the lead poisoning incident in Gansu kindergartens, the Hangzhou drinking water incident, and the mixed edible oil tank truck incident.
“World’s Top Worst” previously pointed out that in China, food is not just a symbol of sustenance but also a cultural foundation. When the peace of mind at the dining table turns into fear, and “eating” may be deadly, this kind of harm is more silent yet more lethal than war.
Historical food safety incidents like “zombie meat” and contaminated milk powder serve as reminders to society that food safety is not solely the responsibility of individual enterprises but a moral question for the entire society. No matter how advanced technology and regulations are, disaster may replay if honesty and oversight are lacking. Only by bringing “conscience” back to the core of the industry can the Chinese dinner table truly escape the shadow of fear.