Indonesian meatball sellers deny rat meat allegations

Dozens of soup sellers rallied outside an Indonesian TV station today over a news report that alleged some sellers were using rat meat to make meatballs for their broth.

The Jakarta protesters complained that the report was hurting their business. Trans TV allowed five of the protesters into the building to hear their complaints – but told them it stood by the report, which was broadcast on December 31.

“We said it was true and backed up by our findings in the field,” said Trans spokesman Ichwan Murni.

“We have a duty to inform our viewers about the facts.”

The report featured a taped confession of a man admitting using rat meat to make the meatballs, know here as “bakso”.

The food scare is the latest in a series that have hurt sales at restaurants and small scale vendors nationwide.

Last week, local media reported that dangerous amounts of formaldehyde were being used to preserve fish, noodles and bean curd.