40 Toxics And 17 Still Being Treated After Consumption Of Ipau Cake, BPOM Palangka Raya Falls Team

The BBPOM Working Team in Palangka Raya City took samples of food sold in Sampit, East Kotawaringin Regency/ANTARA

PALANGKA RAYA - The Center for Drug and Food Supervisory (BBPOM) in Palangka Raya City, Central Kalimantan Province, has dispatched a team to investigate the cause of the mass poisoning case that claimed lives in the East Kotawaringin Regency area. Head of the Palangka Raya BBPOM Working Team Wiwik Wiranti said the BBPOM team took samples of foodstuffs, which allegedly caused about 40 people to be poisoned, in the Baamang District, East Kotawaringin Regency. "We took samples of raw materials, such as beef, potatoes, and carrots and water. We will check this in a laboratory in Palangka Raya. So, the samples we have taken are samples that have not been taken by the Kotim Health Office," he said in Sampit, Antara, Sunday, April 2. According to data from the East Kotawaringin District Health Office, there were about 40 people who received medical assistance because they experienced similar symptoms of poisoning after eating the ipau cake purchased at the sale site for Ramadan snacks, Baamang District, Wednesday, March 29. Among the residents suspected of having food poisoning, one person died when he was taken to Dr Murjani Sampit Hospital. Currently there are 17 people who are undergoing treatment at the hospital because they experience similar symptoms of poisoning after eating the ipau cake. Officers from the East Kotawaringin District Health Office have taken samples of cakes consumed by victims for examination in the laboratory. The East Kotawaringin Police also took samples of the remaining cakes to investigate the cause of poisoning. Wiwik said that in addition to taking and checking samples of foodstuffs, BBPOM officers asked for an explanation from business actors regarding the process of making ipau cakes which allegedly caused a number of residents to be poisoned. According to him, BBPOM takes one to two weeks to trace the cause of mass poisoning. "From the symptoms submitted, it is possible that microbiology. Microbiology is closely related to hygiene and sanitation, starting from the processing site, how to process the food, as well as raw materials and packaging materials," he explained. After examining the cause of poisoning, Wiwik said, BBPOM will provide guidance to food producers and traders so that they understand the procedures for preparing, processing, packing, and serving food in a healthy and safe manner. In addition to examining food samples that were being sold in the Baamang sub-district, BBPOM took food samples in a number of Ramadan markets in Sampit for inspection. Wiwik also explained that BBPOM during 2022 will run the Safe Food Village Program and Safe Food Market in East Kotawaringin. "Food makers and traders are asked to always maintain the cleanliness of the production space, personal hygiene of food processing raw materials, packaging materials. Traders are reminded not to use newspapers or used bases for food bases because they are prone to contaminated with disease seeds," he said. The Health Office of East Kotawaringin Regency previously said that based on the results of the initial examination, E. coli bacteria were found in the remaining cake eaten by residents who were suspected of having been poisoned. "We took samples from March 28 and 29. Temporary results, E. coli was found in the cake," said Head of the East Kotawaringin Health Office, Umar Kaderi.