Viral Issue of Flicks in Gallons of Drinking Water, BPOM Highlights the Production Process

Illustration of drinking water. (Unsplash-Egin Akyurt)

JAKARTA - The Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) said it was impossible for only one gallon of bottled drinking water (AMDK) to be contaminated with mosquito larvae if it really happened as reported by one of the TikTok accounts.

"From the production process, it is possible that if there are really gallons of AMDK, there are contamination such as larvae, it's not only one gallon, but there should be others as well," said Director of Standardization of Food Olahan SPO BPO Dwiana Andayani in a statement received in Jakarta, Monday, July 29, quoted by Antara.

He said this was a response to issues spread by consumers through the TikTok account recently regarding mosquito larvae in a gallon of AMDK.

According to him, if there is only one gallon of larvae, it should be noted how long the AMDK has been (production), storage, if there are leaks and others.

"But what is clear is that it can't be just one polluted, if it's really caused during the production process. It needs to be seen again the truth," he said.

Previously, food and chemical observers also questioned the truth of the issue from consumers who recently spread mosquito larvae inside a gallon of AMDK through their TikTok account. The reason, according to them, is it strange if there are mosquito larvae in only one gallon.

Professor of the Ministry of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Human Ecology (FEMA), Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) Prof. Dr. Hardinsyah, MS expressed doubts about the truth spread through TikTok.

According to him, there can be no insects or mosquitoes living in the groundwater.

In the production process, he continued, the quality monitoring system also cannot play games, especially since it is a large AMDK company.

According to him, the sanitation system in the production room must also be more supervised when they put water in one gallon into the other gallon.

They also have a screening system up to so many micros that can be screened, and all gallons before filling it are also sterilized first. Quality guarantees for each factory exist, such as the quality guarantee of tools, materials, packaging, and others. There are also those who use sensors, especially large ones," he said.

He also said that the sealed gallon condition had no air in it, so it was strange if there were larvae that could enter. Surprisingly, the only one with larvae is the consumer himself.

"Maybe later it will become a trade war. Moreover, consumers do not mention the name of the selling agent. Consumers must be responsible if giving the review," he said.

Head of the Food Science and Technology Study Program at Trilogy University, Hermawan Seftiono, said it was strange that only one gallon was contaminated with larvae, except in one area where several shops experienced the same thing.

"So, my guess is that there may be people who suddenly inject solutions with mosquito larvae using needles into the gallon for trade competition," he said.

In this case, according to him, reporting must also be objective because it is feared that the spreader of this issue could be involved in problems with the industry which turned out to have carried out the process in accordance with BPOM regulations.