YLKI: 30 PCT OF FOOD PRODUCTS IN INDONESIA DETRIMENTAL TO HEALTH

Garut, W Java, March 13 (ANTARA) - Executive manager of the Indonesian Consumers Institute Foundation (YLKI) in Jakarta Indah Sukmaningsih said some 30 percent of packed food on the free market in Indonesia contained hazardous substances detrimental to health.
The result of an intensive examination conducted on 28 different types of food by the institute along with experts of the University of Indonesia (UI), shows that 10 contained hazardous substances like melamine and others, Sukmaningsih said in Cipanas, Garut, Friday.
This bad condition did not include expired food products, which missed the attention of the government and other relevant authorities, she said.
Some government institutions, like the Drug and Food Supervisory Agency (BPOM) had not been working most effectively, and mostly examined only food that had already been cleaned and washed thoroughly.
In the meantime, she said, the government trading authorites which were supposed to serve as a filter of the hazardous foodstuff, failed to properly examine and control such foodstuffs, and were more concerned with issuing various regulations only.
But Indah Sukmaningsih on the occasion failed to elaborate on the foodstuffs containing hazardous substances.