Fish consumers 'should eat their carp well-done'
Fish consumers 'should eat their carp well-done'
Debbie A. Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Fish consumers in Jakarta and other parts of Java are advised to take precautionary measures before consuming ikan mas (carp) due to a recent discovery of the spread of herpes virus in carp and koi breeding fishponds across Java.
Director of the Center for Food and Nutrition Studies at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture Adil Basuki Ahza explained on Friday that the virus that attacked the carp and koi -- referred to as cyprinid herpes virus (CHV) -- could also attack the human immune system if people ate them without their being cooked properly.
Therefore, he suggested that anyone preparing the fish for the dining table had better assume that all carp were infected by herpes and consequently would have to cook them thoroughly to kill the virus.
He explained that the virus could not withstand a temperature exceeding 60 degrees Celsius.
"Thus, they would be safe to consume if the infected carp were fried, roasted or cooked in boiling water," Adil told The Jakarta Post.
Carp are widely consumed in Indonesia, while koi are kept purely as ornamental fish.
Meanwhile, Jakarta-based veterinarian Fidiya Haya suggested that consumers carefully check the state of any carp they might wish to buy.
Fidiya explained that herpes-infected carp would have extensive white patches on the gills and produce excessive mucus, sometimes accompanied by bleeding or ulceration.
If consumers buy live carp, Fidiya added, they must observe the behavior of the fish. Usually, infected fish have sunken eyes and swim erratically.
Fish affected by herpes will die within two days to four days, she said.
Meanwhile, director general of communicable disease control and environmental health at the Ministry of Health Umar Fahmi said that the herpes virus found in the fish was not the same as that found in the human body.
"We do not yet know whether the virus is transferable from animals to humans, like anthrax.
"Although there is no study on it, the public should know that the virus is not contagious to humans. No virus can withstand high temperatures," Umar told the Post.
Adil explained that anyone eating herpes-infected fish that had not been cooked thoroughly could experience symptoms on their skin such as itching or swellings, black spots, blistered skin, or even suffer nausea or headache.
He suggested that a person suffering from such symptoms had better consult a doctor.
In a bid to prevent the virus from spreading from Java to other parts of the country, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries has banned exports of the fish from the island.
The ban will be effective for three months, during which a team of experts will have to find ways to eradicate the virus.
"This is a complicated problem; therefore all stakeholders should sit together to find a holistic solution," Adil suggested.