BPOM: Imported Beef Safe

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Deputy of Food Safety and Hazardous substances at Indonesia’s Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) Roy Sparingga admitted that the agency has not investigated the allegations of hormone-contained imported beef. He stated that BPOM believes the Agriculture Ministry has conducted standardization as the procedure requires it to.

"I am confident that the beef has been checked according to standardization," said Roy today, July 26. He said the beef was imported from Australia, a country that implements a tight standardization system. "Even if the beef contains hormones, I am sure the amount is very small," he said.

According to Roy, beef-related matters tend to be under the Agriculture Ministry’s supervision. However, Roy said his agency can discuss beef-related matters with the food supervision network, including with the Ministry. "The beef can be brought to the Community Health Laboratory Center (Kesmavet) for further checking," he informed.

The Indonesian Consumer Protection Foundation (YLKI) previously urged the society to be cautious of the beef imported by the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) since the beef has not been confirmed of being free of dangerous fattening hormones.

Tulus Abadi of YLKI advised the society not to buy the meat until there has been a guarantee that the imported beef is safe. The Trade Ministry through its director general for foreign trade Bachrul Chairi stated the meat is safe and has undergone necessary procedures.

NINIS CHAIRUNNISA