Viral Allegations Of Aoka Roti Using Hazardous Substances, Minister Teten: Local MSMEs Are Difficult To Compete

Menkop UKM Teten Masduki. (Photo: Theresia Agatha/VOI)

JAKARTA - The issue of Aoka bread containing dangerous preservatives had caused polemics in the community.

This is because the price of the bread, which is priced at Rp. 2,000, can last for months.

Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs (Menkop UKM) Teten Masduki said the price and quality could make local MSME bread difficult to compete.

He considered technology to be the main key in innovating and developing products.

"That's because their technology is good, their products are superior. Yes, it must be domestic bread, right, you can't compete. So, from the industry, we really have to improve the production technology," Teten told reporters at the Smesco Building, Jakarta, Wednesday, July 24.

Teten assessed that the government also needs to pay more attention to foreign investment policies that enter business units in the country.

In this case, the producer of Aoka bread, PT Indonesia Bakery Family (IBF) is said to be related to Chinese investors.

Regarding the Aoka bread that was hit by the issue of containing cosmetic preservatives, namely, sodium dehydroacetate or SDN, Teten assessed that this was entirely the task of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) and the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes).

"That's the business of BPOM, the Ministry of Health, yes. The authority is not with me. Why is it allowed (to circulate) if there are still issues. But, right, consumers can also take it to the lab, for example to check whether it's true or not. That, right, consumer movement, YLKI should work," he said.

He added that his own party focused on the protection and needs of MSMEs.

Teten hopes that the current and future government will pay more special attention to foreign capital and foreign products that enter the country.

Previously, BPOM stated that the Aoka brand bread produced by PT Indonesia Bakery Family, Bandung, West Java, does not contain elements of sodium dehydroacetate which is harmful to consumer health.

BPOM through an official statement confirmed to the Acting Head of BPOM Rizka Andalusia that the use of additional sodium uhydroacetate food in Aoka bread was not proven through laboratory testing.

"The test results show that the product does not contain sodium dehydroacetate", said a statement from the BPOM statement quoted on Wednesday, July 24.