Commission IX of the DPR asks BPOM to pour glucose syrup on raisins

Illustration-(DOK ANTARA)

Member of Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Neng Eem Marhamah, asked the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) to immediately carry out raids on dates products circulating in the market.

Following the viral discovery of netizens regarding dates that allegedly contain glucose syrup and preservatives, but are not listed transparently on the Indonesian label.

"The government must immediately take action to raid the field. Don't let rogue traders pour dates with glucose syrup without giving honest information to the public. This concerns consumers' right to get accurate product information," Neng Eem told reporters, Wednesday, February 25.

Neng Eem emphasized that firm action in the form of raids is very important to ensure that producers and traders do not arbitrarily sell products that can mislead consumers. Moreover, for the majority of the Indonesian people, he said, dates have long been perceived as a healthy fruit with high fiber and natural sweeteners.

"For Muslims in Indonesia, the consumption of dates is not merely a matter of nutrition, but also a part of a belief based on the Prophet's hadith, especially when entering the month of Ramadan," he said.

According to Neng Eem, this situation makes dates a favorite commodity with very high demand in the country. "Dates are fruits that are religiously sanctified by Muslims. It is a pity if this public trust is actually used by individuals to gain profit in unhealthy ways," said the PKB Legislator from the West Java District.

"BPOM must ensure that the dates that are circulating are really safe, especially for people with diabetes who can be very affected by this additional glucose," said Neng Eem.

Furthermore, Neng Eem said, based on trade data, the value of Indonesian date imports has indeed shown a significant trend in the last three years. This shows how strategic this commodity is for the domestic market.

Meanwhile, based on BPS data, the value of dates imported in 2023 reached 54,000 tons with an import value of USD86.2 million, in 2024 it increased to 60,000 tons with a value of USD89.5 million, and in 2025 the volume of dates imported reached 65,000 tons with an import value of USD94.1 million.

Seeing the value of the market, Neng Eem asked the government not only to focus on the smooth supply, but also to be strict in monitoring quality and labeling. He reminded that if there is no firm action, the practice of spraying glucose syrup without labels will harm public health in the long term.

"We in Commission IX ask BPOM to be more firm in cracking down on rogue traders. If there is a discrepancy between the product's content and the label, withdraw the product from the market. We must protect the public from potential food fraud," he concluded.