Based on the results of a laboratory test, the number of foods containing formaldehyde included meatball soup (bakso), wet noodles, and salted fish, the head of health resources development at the Temanggung district health office, Etty Wahyuningsih, said here on Tuesday.
The team involved officers from the health office, the industry, trade, and small and medium business office, and police in the district.
"The finding was based on the results of a laboratory test on samples of products taken from a number of traders at the Kliwon market in Temanggung," she said.
The meatball soup contained 15 ppm of formaldehyde , the salted fish 10 ppm and the wet noodles above 100 ppm, she said.
She said the health office had issued warnings to relevant traders as part of efforts to remind them of the danger of formaldehyde.
Consuming food containing small quantities of dangerous substances could cause vomiting and diarrhea. But if the dangerous substance was consumed in the long run it could lead to cancer, he said.
"The more formaldehyde intake in the stomach, the greater the possibility of developing throat, heart and kidney cancer," she said.
Formaldehyde is a chemical compound that can cause cancer. It is commonly used to preserve various products, including disinfectants and fertilizers.
(Uu.S012/HAJM/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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