Ammon News - By Majed al-Dabbas

* Jordan's Food and Drug Administration denies presence of contaminated meats in Jordan, reassures citizens of safety of foods


AMMONNEWS - Livestock contaminated by chemical weapons used recently in Syria is reportedly being sold in meat markets at very low prices in northern Jordanian towns near the border with Syria, officials and residents reported.

Food regulatory and monitoring officials confirmed that Jordanian meat markets, particularly in northern cities, are selling meat products from livestock smuggled illegally from Syria, suspected of being contaminated with chemical gases.

The officials told Ammon News that the meats are being sold at very low prices, reaching two Jordanian dinars per kilo, causing citizens to rush to buy the cheap meats compared to local meat products being sold at an average of JD 8-12 per kilo.

"The sheep and livestock are being smuggled from Syria, where Syrians refuse to eat it out of fear of chemical contamination, leading smugglers to smuggle the sheep to neighboring markets in Jordan," the official sources said.

Meanwhile, local residents in the northern governrate of Irbid told Ammon News that they have been buying "cheap" meat products for over two weeks.

Asked whether they fear the products being contaminated, the residents noted that the low prices of meats lures customers to continue buying them despite the danger.

A senior Jordanian food regulatory official however denied claims that chemically-contaminated meats are being sold in Jordan.

Director of the Jordan Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Hayel Obeidat told Ammon News that his agency conducts intensive campaigns to ensure the safety of all food products being processed and sold in Jordanian markets.

Obeidat stressed that JFDA and the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture have banned any food stuff from entering through the Syrian borders, noting that any food products from Syria are being smuggled illegally.

The official noted that 70 livestock were seized in northern Amman recently, being sold at relatively cheaper prices than local sheep.

"The health of Jordanian citizens and the safety of their food is our greatest concern," Obiedat stressed, noting that 90 percent of foods available in Jordan have a confirmed source of origin.

He stressed that JFDA will continue in intensive regulatory and monitoring campaigns in various parts of the kingdom, particularly in northern cities, to ensure to safety of food being consumed by Jordanians.

JFDA, in cooperation with the Jordan Nuclear Regulatory Commission (JNRC), recently began conducting testing on various types of foods and meat products to test the degree of radiation and to ensure their safety, Obeidat added.