Formaldehyde in 'tahu'

I am a student in my final year at Gandhi Memorial International School.

Tahu (soya cake), a basic part of the Indonesian diet, is said to be the healthiest protein source for our bodies. However, recently while doing research on the use of harmful chemical preservatives, I came across very disturbing information on the Internet that in some cases, formaldehyde is used to preserve various type of foods, and that this practice is prevalent in Indonesia, especially in the preservation of tahu.

Formaldehyde (formalin) is a preservative that is normally used for preserving tissue/biological specimens, with various other industrial uses, and is carcinogenic. Taking a lead from this, I conducted a few experiments by myself, with the help of my teacher, and I found a few alarming results.

I took some tahu samples from markets and supermarkets and did find traces of formaldehyde in some of the samples, though in very minute quantities ranging from 0.1 percent to 0.3 percent. Tahu samples that had formaldehyde had a very nice smell, unlike the usual fermented smell that regular tahu (without formaldehyde) has.

Taking direct samples from a tahu factory in Jakarta, my teacher and I discovered that during the process of adding gypsum, they add very minute quantities of formaldehyde. They add this harmful chemical, already diluted thoroughly in water, into the soymilk, just before it is to be molded. This soymilk is boiled at high temperatures and the gypsum helps in the curdling of the soymilk.

However, it needs to be mentioned here that since the formaldehyde is very diluted and the soymilk is boiled at high temperatures, the hazardous effects of the chemical is marginalized.

The most surprising element is the lack of awareness concerning this issue. And it is purely for commercial reasons that formaldehyde is used in the process, as the chemical can preserve the product (tahu) for a longer period of time.

Some of the market vendors accepted the fact that formaldehyde is used as a preservative and most of the vendors were ignorant of the side effects that can be caused by this chemical.

Since it is being added in such minute quantities, I feel that the harmful effects are neutralized once cooked in boiling water at high temperature. But the fact still remains that few people are aware of the harmful effects of using this chemical as a preservative. I personally feel that traditional and safer preservatives, such as turmeric, vinegar and ascorbic acid, can be applied in the production process to preserve food.

ARAVIND BALAGI G. PRASAD, Jakarta