BBPOM DKI Finds 5 Formalin Food Samples In Santa Market

Officers showed samples of foodstuffs tested in Jakarta, Monday (1/4/2024). BETWEEN/Khaerul Izan

JAKARTA - The DKI Jakarta Food and Drug Supervisory Center (BBPOM) is still investigating the discovery of food products in the form of tofu and noodles that contain formaldehyde based on the results of a sudden inspection (sidak) of the South Jakarta City Government (Jaksel) at Santa Market.

"We conducted sampling and testing from the findings at Santa Market. As a result, from the 20 samples we took, there were five samples containing dangerous materials," said Head of BBPOM Jakarta Sofiani Chandrawati Anwar in Jakarta, Monday, April 1, as reported by Antara.

According to him, the five samples were in the form of tofu, noodles, and Chinese girlfriends, for that his party explored where the food ingredients came from and also where they were produced.

He explained that traders who were caught selling the foodstuffs would also be given officer education, to be more vigilant when receiving goods from suppliers.

"So coaching is carried out. Tracing upstream is also our duty and responsibility with PD Pasar," he said.

Sofiani said that her party also educates traders to recognize foods that contain dangerous ingredients such as formaldehyde, bolax, and synthetic dyes.

For this reason, he said, traders are given education regarding how to physically recognize the characteristics of food products that contain hazardous materials.

"Like a shiny noodle that can last for days, hard like rubber and smelled the smell of formaldehyde, it shows the characteristics that the noodles are given formaldehyde as a preservative. Then you know hard and we will educate traders so that when shopping to the parent market later they can recognize these characteristics," he said. He added food ingredients when mixed with chemicals such as formaldehyde, boracs, and textile dyes are dangerous for the body, although they do not cause direct death.

"So the formalin is used as a corpse preservative, furniture and of course it cannot enter the body because of hazardous materials," he said.

Previously, the South Jakarta City Government found the content of formaldehyde and synthetic dyes on tofu, noodles, and Chinese girlfriends when conducting sudden inspections (sidak) at Santa Market.

"We check at the supermarkets and traditionally, to see price stability and food safety ahead of Eid al-Fitr 1445 Hijri," said Assistant for the Economy and Development, South Jakarta City Government Mukhlisin.

According to him, during an inspection with officers from BPOM, the Health Sub-Department, and the KPKP Health Sub-Department, it was found that there were traders selling tofu, noodles, and Chinese girlfriends containing formaldehyde and synthetic dyes.