JAKARTA - Checking the label on food packaging is an important step that is often overlooked by parents, even though it plays a major role in supporting children's growth and development.
Information on food labels can help parents ensure the safety, nutritional content, and suitability of products for children's age and nutritional needs.
The Indonesian Pediatric Association (IDAI) also reminded parents to be more careful in reading food labels before giving packaged processed foods to children. This step is considered important to ensure that the products consumed are safe and in accordance with the stages of child growth.
"This packaged processed food, if it meets the BPOM requirements or gets BPOM permission, the requirements are definitely stricter. Starting from composition and others. Well, what should we check? First, the expiration date," said Member of the Nutrition and Metabolic Disease Coordination Working Unit (UKK) Dr. dr. Klara Yuliarti, Sp.A, Subs.N.P.M.(K) in a webinar monitored from Jakarta, as quoted by ANTARA.
He emphasized that parents need to ensure that packaged processed foods consumed by children are still within the period of safe consumption.
"Although this is usually in supermarkets, yes, the supermarket owner should not sell expired food, but it can happen, yes, it's also human error," he said.
In addition to the expiration date, Klara also reminds us of the importance of paying attention to the list of food ingredients. This is aimed at avoiding ingredients that can potentially cause allergies in children.
Another aspect that is no less important, he continued, is to pay attention to the "nutrition fact" or nutritional value information (ING) that is stated based on serving size. Parents also need to understand nutritional claims or health claims, as well as the processed food categories listed on the packaging.
According to Klara, these five things must be understood and observed by parents, considering that children, especially those under the age of three, are included in a special population group that requires extra protection.
Therefore, the requirements for the consumption of processed foods for children under the age of three are stricter than for general consumption.
Furthermore, he explained that there are certain types of food that must be registered with the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM). These products include processed foods in retail packaging, fortified foods or foods enriched with certain nutrients.
In addition, there are also foods that must have Indonesian National Standard (SNI) certification, such as bottled drinking water and palm oil, foods for market testing, and Food Additives (BTP) used to give a certain taste or color, such as flavorings and food coloring.
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