Food safety, inspection to be regulated<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Food Ibrahim Hasan announced
\nhere yesterday that his office plans to issue regulations on food
\nsafety and food inspection to cope with afflictions caused by
\ndamaged or contaminated foodstuffs.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after meeting with visiting U.S.
\nSecretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, Ibrahim acknowledged that
\nfood regulations, prepared in line with the principles of the
\nWorld Trade Organization, were necessary to boost the
\ncompetitiveness of Indonesia's products on the world market.<\/p>\n
\"This is a very urgent matter. It's about time Indonesia had
\nits food safety and inspection laws because our neighboring
\ncountries, including India and Bangladesh, have had their own,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim said that in the long run, Indonesia is expected to
\nhave its own food safety and inspection accreditation agency to
\nensure that foodstuffs in the country are processed and prepared
\nto meet international standards.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim said that the planned regulations were also discussed
\nduring his meeting with Glickman.<\/p>\n
The United States, as a major importer of Indonesian
\nagricultural commodities, has been providing Indonesia with
\ntechnical assistance for the regulations, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Together with Japan, the United States applies strict
\nregulations on agricultural products, so we must hear from them
\nwhat they expect from us,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The planned regulations, Ibrahim said, would be applied to
\nexports and imports and may carry penalties of up to Rp 1 billion
\nfor serious violations.<\/p>\n
Indonesia currently has very loose laws, which often enable
\nill-behaved food producers and distributors, for example, to
\ncover a label of expiration or to imprint a foodstuff with
\ninaccurate ingredients.<\/p>\n
The planned food regulation bill, which is currently in the
\nmaking and is expected to be passed by legislators later this
\nyear, will be applied to small and large food producers.<\/p>\n
Foreign and local experts, including those from the United
\nNations' Food and Agriculture Organization, are also involved in
\nformulating the legal aspects of the planned law. (pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/food-safety-inspection-to-be-regulated-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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