BPOM Finds Food Containing Textile Dyes At Pasar Senen

Examples of food coloring prohibited by BPOM officers/ Photo: IST

JAKARTA - A joint task force from the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) and the Central Jakarta City Government held a surprise inspection (sidak) at the Pasar Senen traditional market, Senen District, Central Jakarta. Inspections are carried out to monitor food needs ahead of Eid.

A number of foodstuffs such as meat, cakes, and food spices are also reviewed by BPOM. BPOM then took some samples to be tested.

The results of the test of a number of these foods, found foods that contain hazardous materials. The food is in the form of wet cakes and crackers.

"We tested processed food ingredients which were suspected to contain hazardous materials such as formalin, rhodamine or in action. It turned out that cakes, cakes that were red and pink in color were found to contain the textile dye rhodamine B," said the Coordinator of the Information and Communication Substances Group of DKI Jakarta BPOM, Yayan Cahyani told reporters, Monday 18 April.

Yayan further said that the dangerous foods would be immediately destroyed. He said his party would trace where the food came from.

"This product is destroyed and cannot be resold, traced from where, so we will also trace it later to the central location, whether from the agent or from the center directly," he said.

He said that if the food found had a striking color, it was suspected that it contained dangerous ingredients. According to him, apart from these foods, they are relatively safe for consumption.

"If the pastries are actually safe, yes, so far no harmful ingredients have been found, so they are relatively good, there have never been any findings," he said.

"The other cakes are mainly based on the color, if there are colors such as red and red, which are striking or yellow, it is suspected that they contain textile dyes, not food," he said.