Getting To Know Benzoat Acid, The Material That Causes Indonesian Basreng To Be Detained In Taiwan

Illustration of basreng. (Pexels)

JAKARTA - Bakso goreng or basreng from Indonesia was detained by Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) because it contains benzoat acid which exceeds the safe limit.

The detained Basreng is from Indonesian food producer Isya Food, which is imported by Taiwan Sheba Enterprise Co.

TFDA emphasized that the products detained did not meet the specifications of the allowed foodstuffs. With that, the products will later be returned to the producers or destroyed in accordance with applicable regulations.

"Based on the Scope Room, Limitation, and Specification of Food Additional Materials', the products mentioned in this report are not included in the list of allowed foods and do not comply with Article 18 Paragraph 1 of the Food Security and Sanitation Law," TFDA statement, quoted from its official website, on Thursday, October 30, 2025.

Meanwhile, benzoat acid or benzoic acid is a crystalline compound that is not colored. The compound is included in the benzoat group, along with sodium benzoat and potassium benzoat.

Quoted from Drugs and Britannica, on Thursday, October 30, 2025, naturally, benzoate acid is commonly found in several types of foods such asiri, plums, cinnamon, prune, cooked cloves, and various other types of berries.

Benzoat acid is widely used as food preservative. This substance is also usually used in the manufacture of various cosmetic, dye, plastic, and insect expulsion products (insecticides or propellants).

Benzoat acid is used as food preservative because it has strong antimicrobial properties. With these antimicrobial properties, benzoat acid can effectively suppress the growth of decaying-causing microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and yeast.

However, in the use of benzoat acid and its derivatives have a safe limit for daily consumption. For benzoate acid, the limit is generally 0 - 5 mg per kg of weight.

The use of benzoate acid in food and beverage products is also regulated by the health agency, to ensure levels that do not exceed the safe limit. Consumers are also advised to consume food and drinks that contain benzoat preservatives without excessive, and choose products that already have permission from the health agency.