Badanas Tightens Food Control For Free Nutrition Programs With Rapid Tests

BOGOR The National Food Agency (Bapanas) has tightened supervision of food safety in a free nutritious eating program by implementing a rapid test. This step was taken to ensure that the food served to the public, especially school children, is safe for consumption.

Bapanas' Main Secretary, Sarwo Edhy, said that his party was strengthening supervision from the central to regional levels, focusing on the safety of fresh food originating from plants and fish. The statement was made while attending the World Food Safety Day Commemoration in Bogor, Monday, June 24.

"We continue to supervise from the central, provincial, to district and city levels. We also provide food safety laboratories to support the implementation of food tests according to standards," said Sarwo.

This laboratory car will be used to conduct testing in modern markets and traditional markets to ensure food quality according to established quality standards.

A number of cases of food poisoning in various regions since the free nutritious eating program was run. One of the incidents occurred in Sukabumi last May, when dozens of elementary school students experienced nausea and vomiting after eating food from the program.

Similar cases were also reported in the regions of Central Java and South Sulawesi, which sparked public concern about food safety standards in this program.

As a precautionary measure, Bapanas is collaborating with the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to implement a rapid test as a mandatory procedure for testing free nutritious food programs. Foods that pass the new test can be served to program participants.

Deputy for Diversity of Consumption and Food Safety, Andriko Noto Susanto, explained that his agency used a number of indicators in assessing food security and security. These indicators include the maximum limit of residual hazardous materials, physical food conditions, and laboratory test results.

Food security index was launched to find out the level of food safety in various regions. Currently, East Java is in the highest ranking, followed by Central Java and West Java," said Andriko.

According to him, food safety indicators also consider regulations that apply in each region, the rate of incidence of diseases due to food, and the number of distribution permits that have been issued. If verified food still causes disease, it shows that there is a gap in supervision that must be followed up immediately.

He added that aspects of facilities and infrastructure such as food storage in refrigerators are also part of the assessment of the food safety index.

"Hopefully, food in the free nutritious food program is really safe so that the risk of infectious diseases can be suppressed," he added.

To support the implementation of testing, Badanas has also prepared human resources through training in the Intensive Food Supervision System (SPPI) with a duration of four hours. This training includes a sampling and testing technique for fresh food which is implemented nationally.

In addition, two types of laboratory cars have been prepared, namely static cars that are placed in fixed locations, as well as dynamic cars that can be deployed to the location if there are reports of food indications.

If the results of the rapid test show safe food, then the food can be served immediately. However, if there are dangerous ingredients such as excess preservatives, further samples will be taken to be tested in accredited laboratories. If proven to have violated, it will be subject to sanctions for guidance or legal processes in accordance with applicable regulations.

With these various efforts, the government is determined that poisoning incidents do not occur again and the food provided in the free nutritious program is really safe and suitable for consumption, in order to support the growth and development of the beneficiaries and create Indonesia's golden generation.