Contaminated snacks in Jambi school canteens

Jon Afrizal, The Jakarta Post, Jambi | Archipelago | Mon, April 08 2013, 1:58 PM

An official in Tebo, Jambi, says that snacks sold in local school canteens are unsuitable for consumption.

Tebo Health Agency chief said samples of 67 types of snacks sold at canteens in schools at every level tested positive for benzoate, a synthetic preservative; borax, which is used in bleach; and cyclamate, an artificial sweetener banned by the Food and Drug Food Monitoring Agency.

“We found these chemical substances in all of those food samples,” Ridwan said.

“It’s quite difficult for us to prevent the wide spread of such foods because they are not produced in Tebo,” he added. (ebf)