Ministry to Check Imported Meat

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The ministry of agriculture is ready to conduct a laboratory test to check the truth of the accusation that imported meat from Australia contains illegal fattening hormone that could cause cancer.

Meanwhile, agriculture minister Suswono, called on all parties on Saturday not to carelessly declare that the meat imported by national logistics board Bulog could cause illness.

"It must first be checked thoroughly. We must be careful before stating that it could affect health. We will not be careless. We will check it thoroughly. We have experts to do it," he said on the sidelines of a visit to Pasar Angso Duo in Jambi, Sumatra.

The Indonesia Consumers Institute Foundation (YLKI) said recently that cows imported from Australia were not healthy because they have used hormone to fatten the animals.

YLKI executive Tulus Abadi said Australia is one of the countries that still legalizes hormone for fattening cows while the substance has been banned in Indonesia since 1988.

"The hormone may cause cancer or is carcinogenic, dangerous and it has been proven in the US, affecting especially children who consume meat containing artificial hormone," he said. (*/DWA)