April 12, 2012
Officials from the Jakarta satellite city of Bogor arrested two tofu vendors on Thursday in a local traditional market for allegedly selling tofu preserved with formalin, a diluted form of formaldehyde.
The Bogor Industry and Trade Agency said the arrests were made as officials were trying to locate the tofu producer.
“We’ve arrested the two vendors to question them about the source of tofu they sell. We’ve asked for support from police to do the questioning,” the head of the agency, M. Sinaga, said in Bogor on Thursday.
Sinaga said the two male vendors allegedly violated the Consumer Protection Law, and might face up to five years in jail and be ordered to pay Rp 200 million ($21,800) in fines.
Formalin is a diluted form of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. Its illegal use, however, persists as a preservative in food items like tofu, noodles and chicken in Indonesia.
In 2005, the capital was rocked by a widespread panic when it was discovered that approximately 60 percent of Jakarta’s noodle shops were serving dishes laced with the substance.
( x the JG)
( tjonge! Now I know why some people say that I look younger than my age! Already well preserved with formalin
)
siK
do 12 apr 2012 - 19:02
