Energy drinks debate continues<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Controversy continues to rage over an official
\norder to remove certain energy drinks from store shelves, with
\none producer insisting its over-the-counter products meet
\nregulations.<\/p>\n
The Food and Drug Control Agency (BPOM) ordered PT Asia Health
\nEnergi Beverages, the producer of Kratingdaeng, Kratingdaeng S
\nand Galin Bugar and the importer of M 150 drinks, to withdraw the
\nproducts.<\/p>\n
The order was given because the agency determined that each
\nbottle of drink contained 80 milligrams of caffeine, far
\nexceeding the acceptable 50 mg stated on the label. The labels
\nhave no health warning of the impact of consuming drinks with a
\ncaffeine content exceeding the acceptable limit.<\/p>\n
Trisno Winata, an executive of PT Asia Health Energi
\nBeverages, admitted on Saturday that his company had disregarded
\nquality control regulations on several of its products.<\/p>\n
Trisno apologized to consumers and promised to intensify the
\ncompany's quality control system to avoid a similar incident from
\nhappening again.<\/p>\n
The company, a subsidiary of PT Asia Sejahtera Perdana
\nPharmaceutical, claims that the products under the spotlight
\nare Kratingdaeng drinks that have bar codes between 373Q and 189T
\nand Kratingdaeng S with bar codes between 001A and 056A.<\/p>\n
The products in question, which amount to two million bottles,
\nare being withdrawn from the market but other products will
\nremain on sale, Trisno said.<\/p>\n
Trisna's statement raised eyebrows because days earlier the
\ncompany refused to apology, arguing that its products met
\nacceptable standards.<\/p>\n
The company claimed M 150, which it imports, would also be
\nrecalled.<\/p>\n
BPOM chairman Sampurno said that his agency had given the
\ncompany two months from Aug. 16 to withdraw the drinks from store
\nshelves and appealed to the media to temporarily stop running ads
\nfor the products.<\/p>\n
Despite the appeal advertisements for the products continue to
\nappear on TV.<\/p>\n
BPOM secretary Mawarwati said on Monday that the agency had
\nnot taken any firm action against the company.<\/p>\n
\"We're still evaluating the withdrawal process,\" the agency's
\nmedia officer, Yunida, quoted Mawarwati as saying.<\/p>\n
Apparently not everyone is aware of the controversy.<\/p>\n
Rudi, an employee at a private company, said he had no
\ncomplaint against the energy drinks and had no idea whether he
\nhad ever drank an energy drink that had a dangerously high
\ncaffeine content.<\/p>\n
\"I still drink Kratingdaeng at least once a day,\" he said
\nafter buying one bottle of Kratingdaeng at a kiosk in Central
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
The kiosk owner, who identified himself only as Babeh (father
\nin the Betawi language), said his sales of Kratingdaeng had
\nslightly decreased, but people were still buying it.<\/p>\n
\"The agent keeps delivering the products,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Military Command personnel continue to drink it in
\ngreat quantities to maintain stamina.<\/p>\n
\"I regret the withdrawal. But never mind, I may keep drinking
\nit,\" chief of the Tanjung Priok main naval base, Commodore
\nDjuhana Suwarna, said on the sidelines of a weekend visit by
\nmilitary chief Adm. Widodo A.S. to the command.<\/p>\n
On the occasion, some sailors were found carrying boxes of
\nKratingdaeng energy drinks into a room. When asked whether they
\nknew the product had been deemed unsafe to consume, they replied:
\n\"Who cares? We keep drinking it.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, consumer observer Agus Pambagio said he suspected
\ntrade competition could be at play in the issue due to the
\nconflicting statements made by BPOM and the producer.<\/p>\n
\"BPOM should give preliminary warnings to companies before
\ndisclosing cases to the public as it should be very careful in
\ncontrolling businesses without killing them,\" he said on Monday.<\/p>\n
Agus, who is a former vice chairman of the Indonesian
\nConsumers Foundation (YLKI), urged BPOM to establish a firmer
\npolicy to prevent companies from deceiving consumers.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, RCTI public relations coordinator Iksan Murdjadi
\nsaid Kratingdaeng was still being advertised by the station
\nbecause there had been no request from the placement agency to
\nstop screening the commercial.<\/p>\n
\"We work based on orders. If we stop airing the advertisement
\nwhile we still have a contract, we could be sued,\" Iksan said.<\/p>\n
Budi Dharmawan, a public relations manager of SCTV TV station,
\nsaid the advertisement was still being aired because not all
\nKratingdaeng products had been withdrawn from the market.<\/p>\n
\"What has been withdrawn from the market is Kratingdaeng 80
\nmilligram, while other products have not,\" he said. (tso\/bby)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/energy-drinks-debate-continues-1447893297",
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