Energy drink maker rejects recall order<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A company ordered by the authorities to take
\ntheir popular energy drink products off the shelves have refused
\nto do so, saying they were manufactured according to regulations.<\/p>\n
PT Asia Sejahtera Perdana Pharmaceutical, producer of
\nKratingdaeng, Kratingdaeng S and Galin Bugar, has yet to order
\nits distributors and agents to withdraw its products from the
\nmarket, claiming that there was nothing wrong with them.<\/p>\n
The Food and Drugs Control Agency (BPOM) had ordered the
\ncompany, who produce three tonic drinks and are the importer of M
\n150 drinks, to withdraw products from the market within two
\nmonths as from Aug.16.<\/p>\n
The agency's head, Sampurno, said in a press release on
\nMonday, that their tests found that the energy drinks contained
\nup to 80 mg of caffeine per bottle, far higher than the 50 mg per
\nbottle written on the label.<\/p>\n
PT Asia's manager for advertising and promotion Herlili
\nSumampouw said her company had sent its response to the agency
\nasking it to undergo further tests on the caffeine content of the
\ncompany's products.<\/p>\n
Herlili argued that right now there were two different
\nKratingdaeng products in circulation in the market. The first
\nkind are local products containing 50 mg of caffeine, while the
\nother ones are imported goods containing 80 mg of caffeine per
\nbottle.<\/p>\n
She also denied that Galin Bugar drinks contained caffeine,
\nsaying they were real fruit juice.<\/p>\n
She explained the company had initially imported Kratingdaeng
\nand Kratingdaeng S from Thailand, but had begun producing them
\nlocally since 1997.<\/p>\n
In other countries, the Kratingdaeng energy drink is known
\nunder the name, Red Bull.<\/p>\n
Herlili asserted the order for retraction is confusing as
\nSampurno had often told the media, following the incident related
\nwith energy drink consumption abroad, that energy drinks sold in
\nthis country are safe to consume.<\/p>\n
\"So, how come our products are all of a sudden declared
\nimproper and unsafe for consumption. I think it's only part of a
\ntrick played on us by our competitors,\" she told The Jakarta Post
\non Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Sampurno could not be reached on Tuesday for comment.<\/p>\n
Three Swedish nationals died recently after consuming Red Bull
\nmixed with vodka.<\/p>\n
Last month, the Malaysian government banned imported energy
\ndrink products because they had yet to be registered with the
\ncountry's ministry of health.<\/p>\n
The agency in its release on Monday didn't specify whether the
\nproducts to be recalled are imported or local products.<\/p>\n
Despite the absence of a report or scientific findings about
\nthe side effects of such a high concentration of caffeine in the
\nproducts, BPOM insists that the products be recalled immediately
\nfor the safety of consumers.<\/p>\n
Enricus Hendry, an executive at PT Arta Boga Cemerlang, the
\ndistributor of PT Asia's products, admitted that the producer had
\nstressed that there was no need to recall the company products.
\n(bby)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/energy-drink-maker-rejects-recall-order-1447893297",
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