Formaldehyde in food causes grave concern in Lampung

Formaldehyde in food causes grave concern in Lampung

Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung

A recent report by the Food and Drug Supervision Agency's office
in Bandarlampung, Lampung, confirmed people's long-held fears
that the salt fish, fresh fish, tofu and noodles sold in
traditional markets contained formaldehyde.

Based on a recent study its conducted in the province's eight
regencies and two municipalities, the agency found that in
Bandarlampung alone, formaldehyde-contaminated foodstuffs were
being sold by traders in all seven of the city's traditional
markets -- Smep, Tugu, Tamin, Kangkung, Bambukuning, Panjang and
Pasang Wayhalim.

The use of formaldehyde in food was also confirmed in
traditional markets in Metro city as well as in South Lampung,
West Lampung, East Lampung, Way Kanan, Tanggamus and Tulangbawang
regencies.

Formaldehyde was also found in food in two of Bandarlampung's
supermarkets and the Gudang Lelang fish market in Pasaran island.

Based on its tests on 162 food samples, 64 were found to
contain formaldehyde.

Of the 93 samples of seafood -- fresh fish, shrimp, squid,
boiled mussels, salt fish and squid, and small shrimps -- 34 of
them contained formaldehyde, of the 46 samples of tofu, 16
contained formaldehyde, and of the 23 samples of fresh noodles,
14 contained formaldehyde.

The agency's head, Sri Utami Ekaningtyas, said her office was
only responsible for conducting the laboratory tests while the
next steps -- the withdrawal of all the products and the taking
of legal action -- was the responsibility of the Fisheries Office
and the police.

"I hope the Fisheries Office will put a halt to this practice
by teaching fishermen and traders not to use formaldehyde to make
their fish and food products last longer as the use of
formaldehyde endangers people's health," Sri said on Wednesday.

She warned that formaldehyde was a very hazardous substance
and was carcinogenic in nature. Long-term consumption could cause
cancer and irritate the digestive system.

"The use of formaldehyde violates Law No. 7/1996 and
Government Regulation No. 28/2004 on food safety and quality.
Formaldehyde is being used by the textile, plastic,
paper, paint and construction industries, and to preserve dead
bodies," Sri said.

She added that food contaminated by formaldehyde could only be
rendered safe by thorough washing and submersion in hot water of
80 degrees Celcius for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, Lampung councillor Ahmad Jajuli criticized the
agency for naming products containing formaldehyde despite the
lack of concrete action against the traders

"There should be serious and concrete action by the
administration to protect the people. In reality, the agency has
repeatedly tested food samples but no action has been taken in
respect of its findings," Ahmad said.

He pointed out that the tests were not the first to reveal the
use of formaldehyde in food products. "The Fisheries Office
should teach people about the consequences of consuming food that
contains formaldehyde and provide them with knowledge about how a
product contains formaldehyde or not," Ahmad said.

The agency's latest findings have worried traders in several
traditional markets, as well as hundreds of salt-fish producers
in Bandarlampung.

Marsiyah, a 38-year-old salt-fish trader in Smep market,
blamed a lack of business over the last two weeks on rumors about
the use of formaldehyde.

"Now, my business could get even worse following the agency's
announcement. But I'll stay in this business for a while longer
as I don't have enough money to switch to another trade," she
said.

Many salt-fish producers on Pasaran island, a few kilometers
away from Bandarlampung, have been forced to stop production due
to a lack of demand following the rumors of formaldehyde
contamination, followed by confirmation of this by the Food and
Drug Supervision Agency.

"Demand is very low following the formaldehyde rumors although
I don't use it to preserve the fish," said Rusdi, 37, a salt-fish
producer on Pasaran island.

The director of Bandarlampung's Fisheries Office, Maryono, said
his office would immediately conduct operations in the markets to
ensure that all formaldehyde-contaminated food was removed.

He also said his office would take strict action against
traders who were found selling food containing formaldehyde.
However, he failed to provide details about what action would be
taken.