REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Imported meat from Australia allegedly contains hormone that is harmful to human health. Chief Executive of Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI), Tulus Abadi said the meat contained fattening hormone with carcinogenic agent. 

"In fact, Indonesia has banned use of this hormone, but its implementation is not yet optimal," Abadi said on Thursday.

United States and Australia still give fattening hormone in cows. This hormone can stimulate growth of cattle to achieve maximum body weight in a short time. While the cases of cancer increase in America

Deputy Minister of Health, Ali Ghufron said imported meat containing such hormone would be coordinated to Food and Drug Administration (BPOM). Officers would continue to check organoleptic against meat, packaging and documents.

European Union (EU) banned imported meat from US that contained of fattening hormone since 1988. US claimed this hormone was not harmful to humans in certain limits. Australia also claimed that hormones had no negative effect. World Trade Organization (WTO) assessed that EU banned was not supported by scientific evidence. 

State owned logistic firm, Bulog, has been importing beef from Australia to control meat prices since July 16, 2013. The first shipment of 4,000 kilograms (kg) of beef cargo has arrived in Jakarta through Soekarno Hatta Airport. Until now, the volume of imported beef has reached 25 tons. 

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