Danger To Consumers, BPOM Closes Two Tofu Factories That Use Formalin In Parung Bogor

BPOM reveals two tofu factories use formalin in Parung Bogor/Photo: Antara

BOGOR REGENCY - The Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) revealed that two tofu factories use formalin in Waru Village and Waru Kaum Village, Parung, Bogor Regency, West Java, Friday, June 10.

"The use of hazardous materials in the food route, formalin, is a fairly large finding", said the Head of Indonesian Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), Penny K Lukito, accompanied by representatives from the West Java Regional Police and the Bogor Regency Government during a press conference at the tofu factory located in Waru Kaum Village.

From the two tofu factories with a production capacity of 120 million tofu per month, BPOM found 38 kilograms of powdered formaldehyde and 60 kilograms of liquid formaldehyde.

According to him, BPOM and the Police also confiscated around 1,500 tofu which was ready to be distributed to three markets in various regions, namely Ciputat Market, Parung Market, and Jembatan Dua Market in Jakarta.

Penny said, as an initial sanction, that the two factories were closed so that no tofu production activities were carried out. Then, the two owners with the initials S (35) and N (45) were immediately identified as suspects.

"Based on the food law, the penalty is five years in prison or a fine of IDR 10 billion, because this uses hazardous materials for food", said Penny, quoted by Antara.

He admitted that he was disappointed to find several tofu factories using formalin when intensively monitoring food processing sites in 10 provinces since the beginning of 2022.

The reason is, that since 2016, the government has banned formalin from entering the food processing line. Thus, its use is only for non-food purposes such as wood production and the preservation of corpses.

"Thanks to good cooperation, several places have been cleared of the use of formalin. Sanctions will be enforced more firmly", he said.

In fact, according to Penny, since the use of formalin for food has been banned, the government has provided a bitter for each liquid form of formalin. So if it is used for food, it will taste bitter and give the impression of food that is not suitable for consumption.

However, the two factories use formalin in the form of a powder that has not been mixed with bitters.

"Those who take advantage, food crimes, use other types, solid (formalin) or particles. They have a process to make it liquid. Of course, there is no bitterness. I think this is very disappointing", he said.