Official laments local food safety standards<\/p>\n
BOGOR, West Java (JP): Food quality remains almost alarmingly
\nlow because many hazardous substances are still found in foods in
\nlocal markets, an official said at a seminar over the weekend.<\/p>\n
According to Mulyo Sidik, an assistant to the minister of
\nfood, unhygienic processing and excessive use of chemical
\nsubstances in food preparation are major problems.<\/p>\n
\"It is getting worse because until now there is no law which
\nregulates government control on food safety,\" he said, adding
\nthat agents of control should involve the government, producers
\nas well as consumers.<\/p>\n
According to Mulyo, unhygienic food can lower productivity,
\nreduce thinking ability, adversely affect the body's immunity
\nsystem and even cause death.<\/p>\n
The seminar titled Food Safety and Consumer Protection was
\nheld by the school of agriculture of Djuanda University in Ciawi.<\/p>\n
Hendri Mevetra, a seminar coordinator, told The Jakarta Post
\nthat the seminar was aimed to improve consumers' awareness and
\nurge the food industry to pay better attention to food safety.<\/p>\n
Thomas Darmawan, director of the food and beverages producers
\nassociation, said that the food industry has grown into a jungle
\nof unfair competition including the forgery of brands, the use of
\nmaterials unsuitable for consumption, and unhygienic usage of
\npackaging and erroneous food handling.<\/p>\n
A.Z. Nasution from the Indonesian Consumers Foundation
\nstressed the need for Indonesia to have a law on consumer
\nprotection.<\/p>\n
\"Many people are hesitant to file lawsuits upon seeing that
\nthose who take their complains to the court end up being
\ndisappointed,\" Nasution said.<\/p>\n
Despite cogent criticism, Rahardjo, head of the food
\nproduction and distribution control subdirectorate, said that
\nvarious attempts to control food circulation have been
\nimplemented.<\/p>\n
\"However, the number of producers are also increasing which
\nposes new challenges to increasing our control and
\nsophistication,\" Rahardjo said.<\/p>\n
The seminar was attended by some 200 participants from various
\ngovernment agencies, the private sector, as well as university
\nstudents. (21\/14)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/official-laments-local-food-safety-standards-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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