We want to support local food suppliers that sell at traditional markets, but the more stories we read like this the more we want to run to Carrefour for imported ayam.
Police in Tangerang, together with officials from the Banten Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), recently did spot checks at a number of slaughterhouses in the Tanah Tinggi area. Seven of them were found to be marinating their chickens in formalin, a chemical that acts as a preservative but is also toxic to humans.
“The chickens contain dangerous formalin and are being distributed to local markets in Tangerang,” said police commander Adi Vivid on Monday as quoted by Merdeka.
“From sample tests conducted by officers of BPOM, seven abattoirs tested positive for formaldehyde. In fact, cans containing liquid formaldehyde were found in five of the locations,” said Adi.
Adi also said that at the seventh slaughterhouse, they seized about 1.5 tons of chicken meat treated with formaldehyde and five cans of liquid formalin.
Police are currently questioning witnesses, including the owners of several of the slaughterhouses.
The perpetrators will be charged with the use of prohibited substances as food additives and will face up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp 10 billion.
