Meat imports may be contaminated: Consumer group

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 11/18/2008 8:06 PM  

Responding to a recent government decision to allow meat imports from Brazil, the Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) on Tuesday warned Indonesian consumers of serious health risks these imports may pose. 

YLKI board member Indah Suksmaningsih said meat products from Brazil were not completely free of foot and mouth disease. 

"There is only one state in Brazil that is free from foot and mouth disease," Indah said. 

Due to rising prices of meat from Indonesia's traditional meat import sources, such as Australia, New Zealand and the United States, the government decided recently to open up a new channel of meat imports from Brazil. 

While infections of foot and mouth disease are rare in humans, Indah argued that risks would be higher for Indonesian consumersbecause they often consume cow bones and entrails. 

Symptoms of the disease in humans include malaise, fever, vomiting and sometimes small blisters of the skin. 

"It is easier to catch the disease from cow bones and entrails," she said, adding that cow bones and entrails were favored not because of taste and texture but for price. 

To minimize risks, Indah said, the government must at least ban imports of cow bones and entrails, and establish a special task force to scrutinize imports for potential foot and mouth contamination.(anb)