Problematic beef

Beef from the United States has been permitted to enter Indonesia, despite the possibility that it is contaminated with mad-cow disease.

The mass entry of imported beef from the U.S. could mean that the public might be faced with a lot of problematic beef in markets across the country.

At present, some 48 containers of beef are awaiting a decision from Indonesia's agriculture ministry and quarantine board.

The rationale for the directorate general of customs and excise to reject or permit the entry of imported beef products has been quite simple.

It said the beef products were safe because they were sent to Indonesia before mad-cow disease was detected in the U.S. on Dec. 24, last year.

The question now is why is the directorate general so sure about the safety of beef from the U.S., just because it entered Indonesia before the disease broke out? Did the U.S. guarantee 100 percent that the beef was not contaminated?

It is possible that the beef is contaminated because the incubation period of mad-cow disease is six months.

It will only be known in the next four years whether or not beef from the U.S. that has been in circulation in the past two years is contaminated.

Thus, on behalf of the government, the agriculture ministry, Food and Drug Supervisory Body and directorate general of customs and excise should take a resolute stance with regard to imported products that might endanger Indonesian consumers. -- Republika, Jakarta