In April 2012, a report pointing out that Carrefour was selling fake codfish pushed codfish to the forefront of public opinion.The reported issue of fake codfish salmonid caused people to pay more attention to it.A fisheries bureau official pointed out that true codfish was hard to find in the Chinese market.So, who are the impostors taking the place of codfish?Are there any dangers for our body if we eat fake codfish?What is fake codfish?

To understand what fake codfish is, we first need to know what true codfish looks like.

Now on the market, there are many kinds of codfish. How many fish can be called "codfish"?In fact, "codfish" is just a general name for a common type of fish. There are over 500 types of fish that can reasonably be referred to as "codfish," with more than ten commonly found on the market.

On the market, codfish is also used as the vernacular names for various kinds of fish (including some non-cod-like fish). For example, a type of naked gudgeon family fish, which has a Chinese common name of "Silver Cod."

So, what is the real identity of fake codfish?In fact, fake codfish are actually oil fish.Oil fish refers to snake mackerel and hagfish, also known as spring water fish, with other names like "Round Cod," or "Imitation Cod."

What is the true face of fake codfish?Originally, in the market, the impostors sold as codfish are actually oil fish.Oil fish belong to the carp family and live in mountain streams or rock caves with running water. In China, they mainly distribute in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, Jinsha River, and Xijiang River.

They feed on diatoms and insect larvae living in water.Oil fish are listed as prohibited food in several countries.

Japan has categorized them as "toxic fish" and banned their importation.The Italian government also lists them as a banned imported species.Currently, China does not have any regulations banning or limiting the consumption of oil fish.Health Risks from Eating Fake Codfish

We already know that fake codfish is actually oil fish. What harm can eating fake codfish bring to our bodies?

Firstly, oil fish are deep-sea fish with a high fat content accounting for 18% to 21% of their body weight, primarily wax esters.

Due to the high melting point of wax esters (up to 1000 degrees Celsius), the human body cannot digest and absorb them. This leads to diarrhea after intestinal irritation, with yellowish oily substances being expelled, but it does not cause poisoning.The wax esters in oil fish are not toxic, but they are hard for the human body to digest and can accumulate in the rectum. Thus, some people who eat them may experience diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headaches, vomiting, etc.

Experimental reports show that out of 44 people who ate fake codfish (oil fish), 20 experienced discomfort, including 16 with oily diarrhea, 10 with abdominal cramps, 7 with headaches, and 5 with nausea.

People who accidentally ate fake codfish would generally show symptoms within 30 minutes, but most people recover within two days.

How to Distinguish Between Real and Fake Codfish

Now that we know about the impostors of codfish, as consumers, we should also be vigilant against these unscrupulous sellers who might fool us.

Let's introduce a few ways to distinguish between real and fake codfish now.Method One: Price

Codfish is an endangered species with strict limits on its catch. Being non-native to China, it cannot be too cheap. The price of true codfish is usually over 200 yuan per kilogram. Oil fish typically costs no more than 60 yuan per kilogram.

If you see a price that seems too good to be true, be cautious and avoid buying them.Method Two: TouchThis method can hardly distinguish between frozen codfish and oil fish, but once they are defrosted, the texture of the skin will differ. The flesh of true codfish is very smooth like it has a layer of mucus while that of oil fish feels coarser.

Method Three: Scale

Codfish scales are small with tiny silver spots and lighter meat color. Their scales are sharp and feel like needles, which is why vendors usually do not remove them to highlight this feature.Oil fish does not have such characteristics.Method Four: Color of Meat and SkinTrue codfish skin appears white or grayish-white with light-colored meat; while oil fish skin is dark gray with a grid pattern, the meat is harder and rougher. True codfish's flesh is much whiter than that of an oil fish.

Method Five: Cross Section

The true codfish sold now are mostly frozen slices with white or light-colored meat without obvious thick lines on them, their scales dense and overlapping like a stack of cards. Larger cross sections indicate genuine codfish; smaller ones may be oil fish due to the larger size of codfish.Oil fish have a faint yellow or light red line in the middle, while true codfish do not.We hope these methods can help you avoid buying fake codfish when shopping for it.

What to Do if You Accidentally Ate Fake Codfish

Now that we know how to distinguish between real and fake codfish, unscrupulous sellers continue to come up with new tricks.Generally speaking, whole fish are easier to identify as true or fake codfish. But now, most of the codfish sold in the market are cut into pieces.This increases the difficulty of distinguishing between them.

If you accidentally ate fake codfish (oil fish), what should you do?

After eating fake codfish, you may experience diarrhea and oily discharge. Regular toilet paper is not suitable for sitting on due to its poor absorbency; female sanitary pads are less effective due to their design differences. Adult diapers have a large coverage area, high absorption capacity, and excellent leakage protection.These symptoms will last up to four days but can be most intense within 24 hours. Be patient as the deep-sea fish oil continues to be expelled. During this time, you might experience temporary stops in discharge, so continue your protective measures until fully resolved.If you experience discomfort after eating fake codfish, seek professional medical advice immediately.The oil fish will have a pale yellow or light red line in the middle, while cod does not.

Here, I hope that the methods provided can help everyone avoid buying fake cod when purchasing it.

What should we do if we accidentally eat fake cod?

While we know how to identify fake cod, cunning tricks from unscrupulous merchants are endless.Generally, if whole fish is sold, it's easy to distinguish which one is the real cod and which is a fake.However, nowadays, almost all cod on sale are sold as pieces.This increases the difficulty in distinguishing between genuine and fake cod.

So, what should we do if we accidentally eat fake cod, which is oil fish?

Firstly, after eating oil fish, we usually experience diarrhea and anal leakage symptoms.Sanitary paper is not suitable for use around the buttocks due to its permeability.Female sanitary pads are designed with different absorbent areas and fluid types, making them unsuitable for this specific situation; they may leak sideways easily.Adult diapers have a large coverage area, high molecular absorbents, and an extensive leak-proof barrier that can effectively prevent leakage.

Secondly, these symptoms will last up to four days, but they will be most intense within the first 24 hours.Please wait patiently for the deep-sea fish oil to finish leaking out.During this period, there might be temporary stops in leakage, but protective measures should not be removed prematurely as leaks could resume.

Finally, it is recommended that anyone who has eaten fake cod and experiences discomfort see a doctor immediately for professional diagnosis.