TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Beef Trading Association chairman Sarman Simanjorang admitted that it is difficult to differentiate between beef and wild boar meat. He explained that based from its colors, fats, and smells, the differences are very thin. “With the exception of (people) who deal with meat every day, they can definitely tell,” he said in a short text message to Tempo on Saturday.
He said from its color, wild boar meat tends to be paler; texture tends to be stiffer with a distinctive smell. “It is hard for the public to differentiate,” he said.
The least they could do is to tell from its prices. If it is below the market price, then they should suspect that its wild boar meat. Therefore, he advised to purchase meat from modern supermarkets. “It is more guaranteed that it’s not an imitation,” he said.
Based on the Agriculture Quarantine Center’s (BKP) statistic data, there is an increase in the number of arrests of people smuggling wild boar meat. In the past six months, there were 16 smugglings with the total of 30,786 kilograms. The figure is higher than the arrests in 2013, which was 11,848 kilograms.
ANANDA PUTRI