"Anesthetizing" fish? "Anesthetic" not broken down before serving? Live fish "sleeping," but regulation can't be "dormant"!

Lively fish suddenly “fall asleep” when a liquid is added to the bucket? According to CCTV Finance, in water markets in Chongqing and other areas, vendors mix products containing safrole as the main ingredient, MS-222 anesthetic, and industrial alcohol to make live fish “hibernate” during transportation for easier handling and to prevent scales from falling off. When needed, changing water and oxygen can wake the fish, making them look just like normal live fish.

Image courtesy of CCTV

It’s understandable that vendors want to reduce fish loss and maintain appearance, but giving fish anesthetics is very harmful. Long-term, large-scale use of safrole can damage the liver and kidneys; special groups like pregnant women and children should use it with caution. Industrial alcohol contains highly toxic methanol, which can cause blindness, organ damage, and even death if ingested directly. MS-222 anesthetic has not been approved for use in edible live fish. Transporters either use unapproved anesthetics or mix substances at will, relying on feel for dosage—adding too much or too little. After arriving at restaurants, the fish may be served before the anesthetic has broken down. The entire process lacks regulation, putting consumers at safety risk.

Vendors dare to feed fish anesthetics, even claiming that fish fed with anesthetics are “non-toxic and safe to eat at any time,” exposing not only their boldness and ignorance but also a disregard for food safety and a regulatory gap for anesthetics. Although safrole and MS-222 are not on the list of approved substances for aquaculture, they are also not explicitly banned. Market management officials say safrole is not included in routine inspections; there are no regulations or testing standards for fish anesthetics in national standards. Even if vendors know these drugs are harmful, they often take a risk and ignore the danger. This regulatory vacuum allows vendors to act recklessly.

If the difficulty in banning safrole and other anesthetics is due to a lack of standards, then the reckless use of industrial alcohol reflects a failure in market supervision. The national ban on using industrial alcohol in food processing is clear, yet some market officials turn a blind eye to industrial alcohol and mixed large barrels of anesthetics displayed openly. Are authorities unaware of the widespread “drunk fish” phenomenon, or are they simply ignoring it? Is the “hibernation” of live fish a deeply hidden secret or an open secret?

Food safety is no small matter; the “sleeping” fish must not be overlooked by regulators. As one of the most commonly consumed aquatic products, the safety and reliability of fish products directly affect market order and public health. In areas where standards are not yet in place, regulators should proactively step up, increase vigilance over food safety issues, and implement the “Four Strictest” requirements. Since the widespread use of anesthetics in the aquaculture industry exists, authorities should organize experts to discuss and establish clear standards on whether substances like safrole can be used in fish, how to use them, and in what amounts, setting red lines for vendors and providing law enforcement with clear basis for action.

On the evening of March 22, Chongqing Market Supervision issued a report stating that they organized surprise inspections, seized some fish sedatives stored by operators, and found no industrial alcohol; measures have been taken to control the involved products. The swift action by Chongqing market authorities demonstrates their attention to food safety and public health. However, the chaos of “hibernating” live fish is not unique to Chongqing. Will other regions’ market regulators quickly verify the situation with fish anesthetics? Only by preventing “drunk fish” from harming people can the public eat with peace of mind.