2005 Indonesia food scare
Encyclopedia
The 2005 Indonesia food scare was a food scare in 2005 in Jakarta
, Indonesia, when the government found that 60% of noodle shops in the capital had been serving noodles laced with formaldehyde
, a known carcinogen
. Noodles in the 2007 Vietnam food scare
also had the same contaminant, and the chemical preservative had also definitely been found on tofu
, noodles, and salted fish. Thailand has similar formaldehyde problems. Rumors spread that it was used on chicken as well. This was particularly bad in a nation like Indonesia where chicken is widely consumed because of the Islamic stance on pork.
Other food contaminants found by Depok
Health agency in elementary schools in 2006 were sodium benzoate
, cyclamate
and borax
exceeding the permissible levels. Benzoate and cyclamate were commonly used as food additives in Indonesia. Other substances found in the samples, such as borax
, rhodamine
, formaldehyde and yellow methanil -- used as a dye -- are not fit for consumption.
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Indonesia, when the government found that 60% of noodle shops in the capital had been serving noodles laced with formaldehyde
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is an organic compound with the formula CH2O. It is the simplest aldehyde, hence its systematic name methanal.Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a characteristic pungent odor. It is an important precursor to many other chemical compounds, especially for polymers...
, a known carcinogen
Carcinogen
A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that is an agent directly involved in causing cancer. This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes...
. Noodles in the 2007 Vietnam food scare
2007 Vietnam food scare
The 2007 Vietnam food scare was a food scandal, which exposed contaminated food. Among the issues were formaldehyde in noodles of the national dish, Phở, banned pesticides in vegetables and fruit, and toxic soy sauce.-External links:* * * Jakarta Post...
also had the same contaminant, and the chemical preservative had also definitely been found on tofu
Tofu
is a food made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks. It is part of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and others. There are many different varieties of tofu, including fresh tofu and tofu...
, noodles, and salted fish. Thailand has similar formaldehyde problems. Rumors spread that it was used on chicken as well. This was particularly bad in a nation like Indonesia where chicken is widely consumed because of the Islamic stance on pork.
Other food contaminants found by Depok
Depok
Depok is a city in West Java province, Indonesia on the western border of DKI Jakarta in the Jabodetabek metropolitan region. The "de" in Jabodetabek refers to Depok, while the word "depok" itself comes from Sundanese language meaning hermitage or abode of one living in seclusion.It has an area of...
Health agency in elementary schools in 2006 were sodium benzoate
Sodium benzoate
Sodium benzoate has the chemical formula NaC6H5CO2; it is a widely used food preservative, with E number E211. It is the sodium salt of benzoic acid and exists in this form when dissolved in water. It can be produced by reacting sodium hydroxide with benzoic acid.-Uses:Sodium benzoate is a...
, cyclamate
Cyclamate
Sodium cyclamate is an artificial sweetener. It is 30–50 times sweeter than sugar , making it the least potent of the commercially used artificial sweeteners. Some people find it to have an unpleasant aftertaste, but, in general, less so than saccharin or acesulfame potassium...
and borax
Borax
Borax, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate, is an important boron compound, a mineral, and a salt of boric acid. It is usually a white powder consisting of soft colorless crystals that dissolve easily in water.Borax has a wide variety of uses...
exceeding the permissible levels. Benzoate and cyclamate were commonly used as food additives in Indonesia. Other substances found in the samples, such as borax
Borax
Borax, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate, is an important boron compound, a mineral, and a salt of boric acid. It is usually a white powder consisting of soft colorless crystals that dissolve easily in water.Borax has a wide variety of uses...
, rhodamine
Rhodamine
Rhodamine is a family of related chemical compounds, fluorone dyes. Examples are Rhodamine 6G and Rhodamine B. They are used as a dye and as a dye laser gain medium. They are often used as a tracer dye within water to determine the rate and direction of flow and transport...
, formaldehyde and yellow methanil -- used as a dye -- are not fit for consumption.