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General quality characteristics including formaldehyde content of iced and un-iced sea foods were assessed in this study. Formation of formaldehyde in sea food is by enzymatic reaction and oxidation of lipids as a result of the activity of microbes. Great attention has been paid to volatile aldehydes like formaldehyde in aquatic products. Results showed that formaldehyde levels were significantly higher in un-iced fishes than that of the immediately iced fishes and it was in the range of 0.001 - 0.32 mg/kg in iced fishes and it was in the range of 10.64 - 18.75 mg/kg in un-iced fishes. Study showed that seafood contained high amount of formaldehyde because of natural production by postmortem enzymatic reaction. This study clarified that improperly stored seafood is a source of formaldehyde to human being. Sensory and microbiological qualities were good in fresh fishes than that of formaldehyde contained fishes. Normally sea foods were in good quality until the formaldehyde content and microbiological counts were below the permissible levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]